


Because Loving You Was All I Knew

by ghostrider



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, HAPPY ENDING BITCHES., M/M, Prince Liam, a little fighting, a lot of crying, inaccurate stuff, larry - Freeform, niall is a stern king, okay i really dont know, price niall, sap, servants harry and louis, stable boy zayn, tons of angst, ziam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-15
Updated: 2013-08-24
Packaged: 2017-12-23 15:09:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 28,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/927947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostrider/pseuds/ghostrider
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The "mating of male with another male" is strictly forbidden in the Horan Castle. But fate intervenes and the king's own brother falls in love with a foul mouthed, illiterate and shabby stable boy who is brought to the castle without the King's knowledge, by a blue-eyed, trusted servant and his curly haired, energetic partner.</p><p>(basically where niall is a king, liam is a prince, zayn is the stable boy, harry is a servant, and louis is the head of all servants. okay? bye.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> okay. originally, this was posted on tumblr ages ago. in three parts. but now i am posting it here, as one entire story. so people who had trouble finding this can now easily access it (i did improve this a lot, added stuff and everything) and people who haven't read this, well, maybe give it a go. :)
> 
> also, almost everything in this one shot is made up and nothing is accurate because that’s how I roll, apparently. i just used my general disney fairytales prince of persia knowledge because i don’t really live in a castle. and the royal family here is a modern one yet it follows rules that had been set somewhere in the past. thus this a twisted one shot. so read?

He was brought to the castle by Louis.    
  
He didn’t know why. He didn’t know when. And he absolutely had no idea as to how.    
  
What he did know was this: he had gone to sleep in his small cottage back at his village, his stomach howling, empty and grumbling, cheek still sore from where his uncle had hit him when he had bravely asked for a little more porridge. And then after two days, he woke up in the servant quarters of the Royal Castle, the drug slowly wearing off, as he eventually regained his senses.   
  
The first thing that came into view was Harry’s face. Harry Styles; his long lost best friend. Harry was the third most important thing in his life, the first two being his parents (who to his misfortune, had unfortunately been killed in a war - and maybe this automatically made Harry the only most important person in his life but he won’t tell Harry that, he doesn’t like when Harry gets all emotional and starts to cry in his shoulder).    
  
He had been elated. Overjoyed at the sight of his best friend. After his parent’s funeral, Harry had to leave him back home to find a job. He had always been prohibited to make new friends by his uncle - or even talk or receive letters - so Zayn had been a lone, poor boy back there. So it was pretty understandable if he instantly jumped into Harry’s arms and kept on clinging to him until he was sure that Harry was really, really there.    
  
They had cried and kissed each other because they were normal, and best friends and they could. Everything in silent celebration as Harry sat with him out in the royal gardens after giving him old clothes - a white loose cotton shirt which was torn at the edges and shorts which were highly uncomfortable seeing that Zayn’s bony legs were exposed - to wear and assuring him that if he stayed quiet, they won’t get caught.    
  
Once they were quietly settled under the huge plum tree, Harry gave his friend all the explanation he needed,   
  
“I never wanted to leave you in the first place Zayner, but I had to. It wasn’t a choice really, my father was in debt, they were demanding, either money or life. They would’ve killed him, so I had to leave. And I knew how you must be suffering, I was the only one you ever told about what went around in that hell hole you were living in. So I worked and worked, proved myself and after my father was cleared of all the debt money, I decided it was time to save your life. Don’t hate me Zayn, you know I would have come for you sooner if I could have. But I had to make sure that they’ll let me bring someone with me before I left for you.”   
  
“You had to make sure?”   
  
“Yes, they just don’t let anybody in. Servants are properly investigated, inspected and then chosen. They’re chosen by Prince, I mean King Niall himself. But I talked to Louis about you, told that I knew you and everything, you being loyal and hardworking so Louis said I could bring you, he’ll make sure the princes don’t spot you, actually the older prince only. We barely see the younger prince, he always stays in his room, sometimes can be seen in the stables but keeps to himself. I’ve heard he has always been like this since his father’s death. Prince Niall, who is three years younger than him had taken over the throne at a very young age, then Prince Payne was across the sea, studying and getting military training. He had to urgently come back, leaving everything after his father’s death. He looks so lost most of-”   
  
“Harry, why are we talking about Prince Payne? I thought we were discussing the part where this Louis person was telling you how if I get caught, I’d probably be whipped to death and fed to dogs,” Zayn cut across him, his eyes showing fear.    
  
Harry just laughed and smacked him across the forehead, “No brainless, Louis told me that they usually don’t even remember who they choose. So if you’re spotted and you act natural and everything, you won’t be caught. Niall is pretty just though, so no, he won’t feed you to dogs or dragons.”   
  
“They have dragons? Really?”   
  
After staring at Zayn’s stunned, excited expression for two whole minutes, Harry burst out laughing.    
  
—-   
  
“I really like that Zayn kid of yours,” Louis told him the other day.    
  
They were in the royal kitchen; Louis mainly, because being the head of all servants, he was in charge of every single thing that had anything to do with the maids/workers.    
  
Harry was obviously with Louis. He was always with Louis, the only one who was allowed everywhere Louis was. Because Louis Tomlinson had set his eyes on him the moment he had seen the curly haired, confident lad walk in the castle gates, his head held up high as he told Louis how he direly wanted a job and he could do anything to get it.    
  
It had taken about three months for Louis to finally gain courage and make a move on him. It wasn’t that Louis lacked confidence or anything, he just wanted to know Harry first.    
  
Being a confidant of Prince Niall since a very long time, Louis had authority. He was respected by the servants - all kinds - and the royal officials alike. Niall had gotten Louis as a tribute from a foreign city, and had instantly taken to him. Because Louis was experienced, instantly he had been assigned the head - he was in charge of all that went around in the lower parts of the castle.    
  
So it was pretty easy for him to just choose, pick and have sex with any of the servants that he wanted. But Harry - there was something unique about that boy. Too many layers to him which Louis wanted to peel off, peek inside his soul and check if he was as innocent as he looked (later Louis did find out that innocent was the last thing he was).    
  
“Point number one, he is not my kid. And point number two, obviously. Everyone likes Zayn,” Harry grinned, piling the dishes in a neat pile.    
  
Louis smiled back, walking over to his- his- his Harry and slid his arms around his waist, dropping a kiss on the back of his neck, “But everyone likes you too Hazza.”   
  
Harry’s heart did this conga dance in his chest at the nick name, “So what are you going to appoint him as? Don’t give him a hard job, he isn’t used to working hard. And he’s suffered enough anyway.”   
  
“Are you by any chance telling me that you brought a lazy servant?”   
  
“He isn’t lazy Louis, and he isn’t a servant also-”   
  
“He is, Hazza,” Louis’ voice turned grim at that, “We all are.”   
  
“I know what you think about the royals and the unfair treatment the lower caste gets but no, we aren’t “servants”. We are Harry and we are Louis.”   
  
Louis had to turn him around and kiss him at that, because who could resist Harry. And a Harry which didn’t make sense and spoke whatever that came into his mind.   
  
Harry gave in for a few moments, letting Louis kiss him all he wanted and then he pulled away, “Don’t distract me Tomlinson! I have to work.”   
  
“But I don’t want you to work and because I am your master, you should listen to me.”   
  
“Yes master. Now if I don’t get these piles of dishes up to the table before the ball starts,  _your_  kind master is going to kill you.”   
  
“You care so much about me Hazza,” Louis rolled his eyes earning a playful smack on the forehead from the curly haired boy.    
  
“So, please give Zayn a small job which won’t tire the shit out of him?”    
  
“He’s going to be the stable boy, won’t have to do much work. Prince Payne is the only one who visits the stables these days. And that also occasionally.”   
  
“I love you Lou, thank you.”   
  
“And call Zayn at the ball today too, we will need more people to serve the drinks. It’s Prince Payne’s birthday, will be huge.”   
  
“I love you.”   
  
“I love you too, Hazza.”   
  
—-   
  
“So is something going on between you and Louis?” Zayn asked him as they stood in the corner, trays laden with drinks in their hands.    
  
“Shhh, you cunt!” Harry cursed, throwing him a look of deep disgust, “You aren’t supposed to discuss such things out in the open.”   
  
“Why?”   
  
“It’s not allowed.”   
  
“What? Talking out loud?”   
  
“No! What- what me and Louis are.”   
  
“What are you and Louis?”   
  
“Can we talk about this later?”   
  
“Okay.”   
  
They stood there as guests went past them, picking up drinks as they did. Zayn’s dressy, collared cotton shirt was very uncomfortable. Yellowed out, torn and rough at the hem and smelling of detergent, and a strong musky smell underneath, making him wonder as to whom it must have belonged to before.    
  
“Where’d you get the clothes?” Zayn asked Harry.    
  
“That should be none of your business,” Harry said, his eyes stuck on the throne where King Niall was settled, a large wine glass in his hand, “Why the hell isn’t Prince Payne here yet?”   
  
“He must be getting ready,” Zayn put in just for the sake of putting something in.    
  
“No, he is never late,” Harry explained, “He doesn’t even dress up as lavishly as his brother. He is more simple, doesn’t wear all the random gems and tiaras.”   
  
“Crowns,” Zayn corrected, getting a death glare from Harry in response.    
  
“I’ll call them tiaras, I’ll call them anything I want.”   
  
“What’s up with you today, you are a little edgy?” Zayn asked, clearly agitated.    
  
“Noth- oh fuck it. Look, I am with Louis, like with with Louis-” Harry whispered.  
  
“I had guessed that part Harry.”   
  
“-and today when I told him I love him he said he loves me back. For the first time he said ‘I love you too’ to me Zayn, you can’t believe how I am containing my happiness right now!” Harry nearly squealed, dropping his tray almost.    
  
“I thought you weren’t supposed to talk about this right now,” Zayn grinned, and Harry just stuck his tongue out at him, his face all bright again because he had just wanted to tell his news to someone and now he had. Because if he died of happiness that night, at least he would leave someone behind who would know the reason of his death.    
  
Then horns blared, the sounds of trumpets echoing around the hall and Zayn looked up to see a young, solemn looking man of about his own age walking down the stairs. And if it hadn’t been for the silver, diamond encrusted crown resting elegantly on the top of his mop of curly sandy hair, Zayn would have never guessed that this was Prince Payne.    
  
Because he wasn’t dressed as elegantly or lavishly as King Niall at all. He was in a dark maroon tunic, which as Zayn could see, was quite intricately designed. A blue sash across his chest along with several badges. Whereas King Niall seemed to be wearing robes over robes, his hair properly combed with a large gold crown siting on his head.  
  
The guests had bowed down now, girls all curtseying and Zayn heard giggles and sighs of want around him. As Prince Payne lifted a hand and waved, He was gorgeous Zayn thought for a moment but the next moment forgot all about it because he was smiling and his smile was more beautiful than any other thing Zayn had ever laid eyes on.   
  
As he came down his figure became more clear, his smile became more appealing and the sword that he was wearing failed to give him a rough look. Zayn would never believe that this boy could even lead a battle or even fight someone because his eyes glowed as he met the guests, he kept on biting his lips nervously and he seemed too kind and too inexperienced and too lost.    
  
Yes. Lost. Lost was the right word because the more Zayn noticed the more Liam’s every move made sense. How he looked so very subdued, as if forcibly trying to make a good impression on everyone, trying to be polite, trying to be a prince. And yet failing, his steps having that same skip every teenage boy had in his. His eyes shifting from here to there nervously, like Zayn’s did when he didn’t know what to do or where to go. His feet tapping instantly and halting when some authentic, wealthy looking guest came his way, as if he wanted to run away from this place. Half the time he saw King Niall pushing Prince Payne around and telling him to meet them and them and that dutchess over there.    
  
Zayn couldn’t help staring not even when Harry nudged him hardly in the ribs to get going. He muttered a loud ‘fuck you’ at Harry and maybe it was a little too loud as Prince Payne had been standing five steps away and he heard him and looked at him with round brown eyes, and this time Zayn nearly dropped his tray, turned around and walked out of the hall towards the kitchen.    
  
He didn’t leave his room for the next three days except to visit the stables and when Harry asked him why he was being such a lazy bastard, he just shook his head because he had no answer. He really didn’t.   
  
Just that Prince Payne’s eyes had disfavor in them as he had looked at him and Zayn had stared right back for a moment. They were a light light light shade of chocolate brown and the image of them wasn’t leaving him alone.    
  
—-   
  
(a week later)   
  
Trying his level best not to let the heavy haystack fall, he somehow managed to reach the stables.    
  
“Bloody hell,” he muttered under his breath, throwing the haystack over the huge pile of hay.    
  
The royal stables were spacious, a house to unique, rare horse breeds which were known around the empire as.. ‘The Royal Breeds’; untouchable, out of a common man’s reach. Thus, the stables were made of thick wooden walls, a thick opaque canopy. Inside, it was exceptionally dark. A streak of sunlight breaking in through the window situated high enough. Fire was lit up in the night, while the royal watchman sat inside, guarding the priceless breeds because they were Niall Horan’s - and nobody touched what was Niall Horan’s.  Zayn had been taking care of the horses; feeding them, brushing their manes, sitting back on the hay and naming them just because, for the past seven days and not once had he been disturbed by anyone. He stayed in the stables, took his favorite horse of the day out for a walk, and then came back. Nobody disturbed him, except the watchman sometimes, and Marry sometimes to call him for food. And Zayn wondered as to why did the royals even have a stabe when nobody actually used the horses.  
  
So it was fair to say, that today, while he was busy cursing at the haystacks, Zayn really didn’t notice another presence in the stables.  
  
“What the motherfucking hell is this? Sweat and sweat and just my hair- oh shit- ouch. I was better off back home. Never forgiving Styles for this- I swear to god- Poor animals have to eat this disgusting st-”   
  
“Ahem, ahem?”    
  
Zayn abruptly turned around at the voice and his eyes widened with both shock and fear as he saw who stood in front of him. Just by a white foal, patting it’s head as it softly neighed.    
  
“What are you doing here?” asked Prince Payne just as Zayn bowed in front of him.    
  
“I am the stable boy your highness,” Zayn replied uneasily. Because Prince Payne was eyeing him quizzically. His features illuminated by the ray of light falling in through the doors as Zayn stood rigid in the dark corner.    
  
Prince Payne’s gaze was sharp, as if he was judging Zayn. Eyeing the bruise above his eye because he had fell down the attic stairs, and then his faded, ripped trousers. His entire torn, ragged attire as he stood there in all his glory, and long boots, high cuffed shirt, cowboy hat in his hand.   
  
“And you decided to let your anger out on the haystack?” he inquired, Zayn could actually feel the intense gaze, not being able to see much.    
  
“I- I just- I am sorry sir.”   
  
There was silence again, which gave Zayn time to consider his options; he could make a run for it or pay for cursing in front of a prince. Or..   
  
“Is there something I can do for you your highness?”   
  
The prince thought for a moment, and then, “Tie Woody back for me?“   
  
“Woody?” Zayn smiled to himself, because he had never heard that term before and it sounded funny. Also, the fact that Prince Payne hadn’t ordered him, more like asked him if he could. That made his stomach twist, he didn't know why.  
  
“Yes,” he saw the prince smile, and it suited him perfectly somehow, as he glanced towards the foal, patting its head gently, “Yes this is Woody, my uncle brought me this young horse on my seventeeth birthday.”   
  
“It’s nice,” Zayn said, walking over to the horse and guiding it towards its stall.    
  
What Zayn didn’t notice was that two eyes were constantly staring at him and his exposed collarbones. Two eyes which belonged to the prince who hadn’t moved from his place, just shifted on his feet a little so that he could keep his eyes glued on this stable boy without getting caught.    
  
The twenty year old prince just kept on watching him. In the little light that he had, he tried to make out every part of the tanned lad’s body. He had looked so different the other night, wearing the clothes the Prince had outgrown, allneat and tidy. And now, he is all sweaty,with a bit of dirt on his face and his ripped pants. His soft nervous voice was ringing in his head, the soft sound echoing in the stable when the stable boy chuckled at Woody for some reason which remained unseen in the darkness.   
  
When Zayn came back, he was more than surprised to see that the prince hadn’t left. He was still stood there, the light falling on him, making him somewhat stand out in the darkness. Shine, almost.  
  
“Can I do something else for you, your highness?” Zayn asked, bowing down again.    
  
“What is your name?”    
  
“Malik,” Zayn replied, taken aback but showing no sign of it.   
  
“Full name?”   
  
“Zayn Jawaad Malik, sir.”   
  
“You are new?”   
  
“Yes, sir. I was brought here last week by the head of the servant’s quarter.”   
  
“So you were present at last week’s ball?”   
  
“Yes, sir,” Zayn answered, hoping that the Prince had forgotten.  
  
There was silence in the stables after that. Not once did Prince Payne lower his gaze, while Zayn fidgeted uncomfortably under it hoping that the prince didn’t recognize him. He knew how the prince was inspecting, scrutinizing him, and his cheeks did grow hot somewhere in between (he couldn’t pinpoint when). He had always been a shy boy, always. He didn’t know how he managed to even steal glances at the prince who just kept on staring.    
  
Like he was analyzing a new breed of horse. Assessing if it was worthy of keeping or not. A part of him did not like Prince Payne for that.  
  
—-   
  
For the next few days, okay, for the next few weeks, Zayn always found Prince Payne at the stables. And all those times, the prince had a horse standing by his side that he used to introduce to Zayn before asking him to lead it to its respective stall. Zayn realised that the names he had given to the horses were far more dumber than Prince Payne's. But he never said anything, just listened. Because he liked when Prince Payne talked to him, so easily. It made him feel all dizzy in the head, and it made him feel important, safe.  
  
“This is Rage, Niall traded this for a herd of cattle. Niall used to love the horses, I don’t know what happened to him after father’s death.”   
  
That was the first time the prince had spoken something which was more than one sentence to him and then he had actually followed Zayn up to the stall, to watch him tie up the horse without even trying to conceal his obvious staring. (he had stopped hiding about two weeks ago actually)  
  
Zayn knew by now, he knew that Prince Payne waited for him in the stables everyday. And it may seem far fetched, but Zayn was sure. He wasn’t blind. He could see the prince analysing him and observing his each and every move and the more Zayn noticed this the more conscious of his movements he became, the more nervous he got and if he ever spoke words to Prince Payne, they came out in a stutter.    
  
But Zayn didn’t stop going to the stables every day, couldn’t help but nod when Louis asked if he was okay with his job. But then, nor did the young prince stop appearing, he was always there, standing on the same spot, as if knowing that that was the exact spot Zayn’s eyes would seek out first.    
  
And they did. Only that Zayn never realized that.    
  
Everyday, the prince took a new piece of information about Zayn back to the castle with him. Then late at night, or submerged in the warm water in his enormous bath tub, he used to think about him. The stable boy. Zayn Jawaad Malik.   
  
The permanent black ink designs that covered his toned arms and his prominent collarbones. Zayn had once told him that there were more (the first time Liam had actually gotten Zayn to talk) and all the prince wanted to do was discover them, look at them and maybe run his fingers over them.    
  
His hair that were always matted on his forehead due to sweat, and how Liam wanted to ruffle them, slide his hands into them and clutch at them as he kissed the stable boy on his full plump lips and then-   
  
Liam came all over his hands or buried deep in the bath tub, having to hastily get out and call for his silk bath robes. Then he rushed, red-faced, to his room - before Niall could call him to his own to discuss political crap - and throwing off the gowns, he sank into the soft velvety blankets that covered his king-sized bed. A soft, desperate call of ‘Zayn’ on his lips as he fell asleep.    
  
Two stories below, in the small room situated beside the kitchens, used to sleep the said stable boy, smiling in the darkness as he thought about the fascinating heart shaped mark on Prince Payne’s neck he had just noticed that very morning, before he dozed off.    
  
—-   
  
“You’ve been spending quite a lot of time in the stables these days, Liam,” Niall said one day over breakfast.    
  
Liam nearly spilled his glass of milk over the platter of french toasts.   
  
“You’re mistaken, I just go there in the afternoon.”   
  
“And return well after the evening.”   
  
“Yes because I can’t always stay shut up in the castle. You don’t allow me to go and visit town, you don’t want me to go back for my training and now you have a problem with me horseriding,” Liam complained, wiping his mouth off with a napkin.    
  
“Horseriding? So you ride horses  _in_  the stables? Because the servants say that you don’t come out from there for ages,” Niall asked, his eyebrows raised as Liam hastily stood up.    
  
“You shouldn’t really trust all your servants, brother. Try trusting me for a change, try not having your servants spy on me? I’ll be in the library if you need me,” and with that Liam walked out of the dining hall, leaving a suspicious Niall behind.    
  
Because no. Niall couldn’t know about Zayn. It wasn’t like he was having any secret love affair with Zayn (because there was no such thing as a one sided love affair because he didn’t know how Zayn felt, he was always so nervous, distant and quiet) but Niall couldn’t know. He knew his big brother was going to jump onto conclusions, since he had turned into Sherlock Holmes after their father's death, and Liam didn’t want to know what would happen next.    
  
For the time being, he needed to somehow stop thinking about Zayn. So he shut himself in the library and started searching for a book which would keep his mind off that boy. As it turned out, no book could do that because a few seconds later, Liam was stamping his feet and punching the hard cover of the book in frustration, his voice a hoarse, “Zayn god damn it, you Zayn!”   
  
Because he was done with this one sided love affair and he was more than done with Zayn being nervous around him, he wanted to explore every part of that boy and know him and make him his because all this time Zayn hadn’t once let him down by ditching him and not smiling at him when he entered the stable. Not once had Zayn’s eyes not seeked him out.   
  
He wanted Zayn. And he knew, somewhere in some corner of his heart, he knew that a part of Zayn wanted him too.    
  
(if he had known how zayn styled his hair with the oil he found in harry and lou’s bathroom and checked himself up in the small square mirror he had tucked under his pillow and looked at it five times to make sure he looked okay before he came to the stables, liam would’ve known how he wasn’t wrong in thinking that)    
  
—-   
  
Unfortunately, Liam couldn’t make it to the stables that day. Some guests had come over, Dutchess of Algeria or Argentina or Alcot or A-something-something. Liam didn’t know and he didn’t care. His mind was stuck on the boy whose heart would most probably (hopefully) drop when he reached the stable not to find him waiting. His mind was cursing his brother who had arranged this meeting in the first place. And he wanted to throw up because this Danielle girl - the daughter slash niece slash family member of the dutches - who was introducing herself to him in a sweet, high, incredibly irritating voice was actually irking him with her longing stares and winks.  
  
Liam never knew that royals were allowed to wink because when he had done that Niall had smacked him on the head and told him to  _act like a prince for god sake. I knew you were in a modern college but you are not a normal teenager Liam you need to-_  
  
And Liam had become engrossed in some book after that, ignoring Niall completely. This time too, as Liam got up because he was tired and needed rest, he didn’t listen to Niall when he asked him to sit back down because this meeting or whatever was important. But Liam just looked at him for a few minutes, explained how he hadn’t slept well and tried to excuse himself from the meeting as politely as he could.    
  
“Louis,” he said to the boy who was arranging the flower pots, when he walked out of Niall’s study, “Send Za- the stable boy to my room.”   
  
“Zayn? What do you need your highness? You can tell me, Zayn isn’t here right now. He has been sent to fetch some stuff from the market right now,” Louis said, turning to face Liam.   
  
“Why the- why would you send him to the market when he is supposed to be in the stables?" Liam asks frustrated, a sterness to his voice.

“Travis fell ill, he could bot go, sir. Zayn was free, so I asked him to-"

“Just send Zayn, I need to know something about- just send him when he comes back Louis,” Liam ordered this time, cutting Louis off and abruptly disappearing down the hallway.    
  
“Okay,” Louis said to no one in particular, as he returned to the flowers and wondered why Prince Payne would want to see Zayn. Praying that the boy hadn’t ruined something in the stables.    
  
—-   
  
He kept pacing in his room, forehead covered in worried lines because this was wrong. This could put their lives in danger. Bring the kingdom down, cause uproar and chaos and Niall would never forgive him. Never trust him. He should send Zayn back when he comes, he would do just that. Tell him he hadn’t called him and whoever had sent him to his room had made a mistake.    
  
Yes, that had been what Liam was going to do until about eleven in the  night when there was finally a nervous knock on his door and what was he even thinking before? He straightened his casual robes, walked over to his bed, muttering a loud _‘Enter.’_ in the process.    
  
The door was pushed open, slowly and Liam, who was facing the bed,  heard unsure footsteps making there way in. A slight click announced the shutting of the door and that was when Liam took a deep breath, and turned around.    
  
“Zayn.. you’re here,” Liam said, not even noticing the tone of relief in his voice.   
  
Zayn kept staring at the floor, his hands wringing in frustration as he bit his lip continuously. Dressed in a white long shirt, that reached his knees, and a black trouser under. Liam could see the fear in his lowered gaze. He wanted to make it vanish, he didn’t want Zayn to be scared of him.    
  
“What can- can I do for you, sir?” the skinny boy said, staring at the floor, his voice all choked up for a reason Liam so badly wanted to discover. He wanted to discover a lot of things about this boy, tell him something about himself, share and care and cherish… everything wrong.    
  
“Come here,” Liam held out a hand, “And don’t call me sir, Liam would be fine.”   
  
Zayn looked up instantly, his face a mixture of shock and confusion. As if he didn’t think he had heard right.    
  
“Pardon me, your highness?”   
  
“Liam, you can call me Liam. I think we know each other enough. Now come here.” 

Zayn remained rooted to the spot.

“Come,” Liam said one more time.  
  
Automatically, Zayn’s feet moved towards the handsome prince who was beckoning him towards him - this was unbelievable. Zayn didn’t lay his hand in Liam’s outstretched one though, hoping that he hadn’t humiliated him in any way because Liam sighed and sat down, letting his drop on to his lap in a dejected way. Zayn took a place beside Liam, unsure, sitting right next to him, not too close yet not too far.   
  
He could feel that powerful, strong, gravitational force that hung around Liam pulling him in - the same force which allured his body to the stables everyday. Yet, he resisted. His toes were twitching and he just wanted to run away but then Liam shifted and moved a little closer to him. And oh god, Zayn nearly swore under his breath because he could feel Liam’s steady breath fall on his left ear.    
  
Holding his breath in painfully, Zayn shifted a little away. Because no, no this wasn’t happening. Liam was hit by another wave of determination when he saw Zayn move away, too nervous, too fragile under his touch, under his breath technically.    
  
Without hesitancy, Liam reached forward and clasped Zayn’s hand in his own, Zayn’s hand went limp and numb in his as he turned his head away, not daring to look at whatever the prince was about to do. Liam intertwined his fingers with Zayn’s, bringing his hand to his face he started pressing light kisses onto every knuckle and Zayn’s heart just stopped beating in there the moment lips touched skin.    
  
“Stop running away from me,” Liam whispered loudly enough for the boy to hear and tears just automatically filled Zayn’s eyes. He didn’t know why. But all those nights he had dreamt about having Liam this close to him. And now when his dream wascoming true, he wanted to do nothing except run far far away.  
  
Kisses started to make a trail up his bare arm, as Liam’s hot breath fell on every inch of skin and Zayn just scrunched his eyes close, trying to show his reluctance and push Liam away without hurting him. And now his arm was pressed against Liam’s chest, Liam’s nose was touching his neck and he still had his face turned away from him.   
  
“I am scared too Zayn,” then said the prince into his neck and what little resolve Zayn had all fell to the ground, crashing hard, fading away in nothingness. Like it was never there in the first place.  
  
Liam kissed the crook of his neck, Zayn bit his lips, trembling. Then Liam’s hand was under his chin and he was forcing Zayn to look at him and Zayn couldn’t say no. He let Liam hold his face, he let Liam look at him, he let himself look at Liam and decipher the emotions hidden behind those light brown eyes. He had never seen those eyes this clearly, even in the dim lighting of the room, every part of Liam’s face was clearly visible and it waas beautiful as it had always been to Zayn. Breathtaking.  
  
“Are you scared of me?” Liam asked and uncertainty clouded over his eyes. Zayn just… fell. But he didn’t let it show, he couldn’t. He just kept staring back point blank into those unsure eyes as Liam’s eyes glazed over his face in response. Searching for an answer they didn’t find.    
  
Or maybe they did. Because the next moment, Liam had left Zayn’s hand to cup his face and had pressed his lips against his. Zayn’s hands curled into fists, as he clutched the bedsheets, his knuckles white and his eyes falling shut again. Liam’s lips moulded with his own and before he knew what was happening, tears were falling down from under his eyes.    
  
Liam must have felt them against his cheek for he was pulling back abruptly, scanning Zayn’s wet cheeks, afraid that he had done something against his will and offended him. But Zayn’s tears were of confusion, conflicted emotions and something else which the boy hadn’t ever felt before. He didn’t know what he should do; run away, not run away, kiss, not kiss back, tell Liam he hated him,  _“I love you, this is wrong, so wrong.”_    
  
Horror. Horror filled Zayn’s nerves when he opened his eyes after those words left his mouth. He hadn’t meant for them to come out they just-    
  
“Zayn, Zayn, you really?” Liam’s eyes widened, voice vehement.  
  
And then Zayn started shaking his head vigorously, as if trying to take those words back, pretend that they had never been said. He started crying and shivering and _i am sorry Liam_  he finally dared to whisper but Liam ignored it, reaching up to wipe those tears off with his own hands, feeling Zayn take in a deep breath and look in his eyes, pleading and fearful. Tears were pooled under Liam’s eyelids too and Zayn could see them, outlining his eyes, and his heart plummeted out of his chest when he saw the prince in this state and he shook his head as if trying to say _no please don’t cry please not because of me. it meant nothing._  But words refused to come to him.  
  
“Liam..” he said finally, in a breath so choked up and broken that Liam clearly understood how many other meanings that name contained at the moment. Understood exactly what Zayn was trying to say; how they were in the same boat, so different yet stuck in the same situation, knowing that if they took this one step, if they as much as confessed, they wouldn’t ever able to turn back. They would not be able to forget or remove and would have to suffer the consequences whatever they might be.    
  
And they were scared shitless, both of them because this wasn’t allowed. Liam was of a royal family, he wasn’t allowed, he had his responsibilities and duties and he had to set an example and this wasn’t allowed; this was restricted, prohibited by his own father about thirty years ago when he didn’t even exist.    
  
But he also knew how he had fallen, fallen for an illiterate stable boy with a foul mouth, but who was impregnated with innocence of an unusual kind. He knew how in that room both of them were going through the same sensations; knowing so little about each other yet knowing everything, every look, every emotion. Wanting to do things Liam shouldn’t even be thinking of doing. And more than anything, he knew how Zayn was trembling in his hands and how he wanted this as much, wanted to be loved by him and love him and spend his life with him but he was scared, so scared that the tears weren’t in his control and all Liam could do was pull him close and mutter an _i love you too_ which earned a heart wrenching sob from Zayn until he finally, finally surrendered and entwined his arms behind Liam’s back, resting his head on Liam’s chest, clinging to him for some kind of protection, and Liam kissed his hair over and over stuttering out nothings which meant everything to Zayn.    
  
They cried and tried to comfort each other (not succeeding because fear was still etched upon zayn’s face) until finally Liam made him lay down beside him and helped him out of his clothes while Zayn mapped his face with his quivering fingers. And Liam discovered more inked marks all over his body kissed him gently, some he understood, some he didn't. Gently until he became fully accustomed with those plump lips. Gently until his lips moved from those lips to the inked markings and gently until Zayn pulled him back up and pressed their foreheads together.    
  
“I love you Zayn,” Liam said, no kind of uncertainty in his eyes this time and Zayn’s eyes brimmed again, as he remembered Harry’s words..   
  
 _it isn’t allowed, it isn’t allowed_    
  
Liam was quicker in kissing those tears this time, and pulling Zayn closer and letting him cry as much as he wanted to while he dropped light comforting kisses all over his tanned shoulders, telling him how he would protect him with his life if he had to. He would give anything to keep him safe, he would stay with him but it couldn’t, nothing could, stop those tears. Zayn kept on weeping, Liam kept on holding back until the thin boy dozed off in the prince’s arms.    
  
Zayn woke up the next morning, just before the break of dawn. All wrapped up in Liam, so effortlessly curled around his body, both of them lying cocooned around each other. And he cried then too, cried in Liam’s curly hair and kissed his eyes and his lips and dropped a long, firm kiss on the skin right above his heart, feeling the rhythmic beat under his lips, because they could never be together and that was the bitter truth they had to accept, he needed to leave, leave Liam’s life before things got worse.    
  
Before he made things worse for the both of them. He needed to leave before Liam woke up.  

—- 

Zayn tried his best to forget everything.    
  
Slipping out of Prince Payne’s room, running all the way to the kitchens and then stealthily making his way to his barely lit small room, he hastily threw off his clothes back on the ground and himself on the hard bed which by the looks of it, Harry had already made for him.    
  
Zayn pressed his face into the pillow, as if trying to hide from the tormenting darkness that loomed around him. Scrunching his eyes close, he tried to forget everything. Everything that had been said and everything that hadn’t.    
  
As the sun came up and the birds started to chirp outside and his eyes started to hurt, Zayn realized that it wasn’t really possible.    
  
It was Liam Liam Liam all over; he could see his eyes staring at him in his head, his voice ringing in his head  _please stop running away from me_ ,  _are you scared of me,_  the feel of his palms all over his body,  _i love you_ … Zayn trembled again, trembled as those soft touches came back to him, the feel of Liam’s hand on him and he kept on sobbing throughout because that was just his few minutes in some far-fetched dream and it was over now, too soon. Zayn needed to end this up- because…   
  
 _it isn’t allowed, it isn’t allowed, it isn’t allowed_    
  
—-   
  
“Zayn, get up you bastard!” Harry shook him, but the boy refused to open his eyes.    
  
“Just leave me alone Harry,” Zayn grumbled, hardly shoving Harry away and going back under his blankets.    
  
“Why the hell are you doing this Zayn? Get up, Louis’ so angry with you,” Harry tried to push him out of bed.    
  
“Get. Lost. Harry.”   
  
“Not until you’re getting up! Stop pretending to be asleep all the time!”   
  
Hard footsteps stamping against the floor as they got louder, and then, “Malik, what the fuck is up with you? Are you sick?”    
  
“Louis, he’ll wake up, I’ll make him get out of bed. You go back,” and the stern tone of Harry’s voice made Zayn want to get up and pull him in a hug but he lacked potential to do that. Liam was all he knew at the moment. Liam, and how he had been lying here in his room for the past three days like a dead body because he couldn’t face Liam -  not after he had blurted out everything in front of him last night.    
  
“Harry, tell him that if he doesn’t get out of this room and stops moping around like a widow,” Louis’ voice boomed in the room, “I am sending him back home.”   
  
“No Lou, please no,” Harry begged above him but Zayn turned his head towards his best friend and opened his eyes, “Yes Har, take me home please…”   
  
Harry stared at him for a moment, the hair so shabby and unwashed, his stubble so rough and shaggy, his eyes red and puffy and, “H- have you b- been crying Zee?”   
  
“Take me home Harry, I want out,” Zayn said in a weak voice and Harry jumped on him, wounding his arms around Zayn as the boy melted in his best friend’s embrace, getting all the comfort he could. Louis came over too, sat beside the tangled mess which was Harry and Zayn, looking over at the two boys in a state of utter confusion.    
  
“You don’t mean that,” Harry tried to console him as he cried into Harry’s neck, weird how his eyes still had the ability to produce tears, “Your life was hell back there Zee.”   
  
“This is worse Harry, this is worse.”   
  
“Zayn, what is wrong? I gave you the most simplest job I could, you’re the one who does the least amount of work and I make sure you are treated kindly by everyone, what is wrong?” Louis asked, patting Zayn’s back as he did so.    
  
“It isn’t you Louis, it is me. It is all me, just- Harry, home please?”   
  
“No Zayn,” Harry said in a firm tone because he knew how Zayn didn’t mean it, he knew his friend, he knew how Zayn would die rather than go back to that place, “You’re staying here. As long as I am here, you are staying here.”   
  
“But I have done something wrong Har, something so wrong,” Zayn whispered into his neck.    
  
“I know it can’t be that bad,” Harry soothed.    
  
“It’s worse than bad,” Zayn shook his head.    
  
“What- what’d you do?”   
  
“I can’t tell you. It’s- it’s disgusting.”   
  
The vehemence in Zayn’s voice said it all and Harry instantly pushed him away with the shoulders, to stare into his watery eyes.    
  
“You hide nothing from me,” Harry said, his voice a warning because what,  _what,_  had Zayn done?   
  
“I can’t tell you, I’m sorry Harry. I’m sorry Louis,” he shook his head again, refusing.    
  
“TELL US MALIK BECAUSE I SWEAR TO GOD IF ITS RELATED TO THE CASTLE BY ANY WAY, YOU ARE DEAD!” and it was Louis who lost it first, because the way Zayn apologized to him did make him look like a criminal? What had he done? Stolen? Harmed a horse? Made Prince Payne angry? Destroyed expensive royal cutlery? Misbehaved? Gotten caught by Niall? Whatwhatwhat?   
  
There was silence in the room after Louis’ short outburst, which was broken by Zayn’s coherent sob, “Kill me then, Louis.”   
  
“What? What? What did you do Zayn?” this time it was Harry who practically begged him.    
  
“I did what you did,” Zayn said, looking straight into the two pairs of eyes, this was seriously the best approach. Turn the tables, yes.  
  
“What?” they both asked in unison, not really understanding.    
  
“I fell in love,” Zayn answered in a timid voice which echoed around the room anyway, “In love with a boy.”   
  
Deadly silence filled the room, but then Louis and Harry were beaming, exchanging looks, grinning at each other.    
  
Louis smiled at him, “Is your friend crazy? Because that is no reason to go back home.”   
  
“Exactly Zayner,“ Harry agreed, “Look, I’m still here. It’s okay, it will be all right. Just keep everything a secret, make sure nobody you don’t trust finds out. Everything will be fine.”   
  
Zayn looked at the two for a moment, and then shook his head again, “Nononono.. You don’t understand.”   
  
“Oh, but we do. So who is he? Erik? Aiden? Mark? Tell me it isn’t Nick,“ Harry nudged Zayn playfully and the boy just returned the friendly gesture with a solemn death glare of his own.    
  
“Harry…”   
  
“Danny?” Louis said.    
  
“Matt?”    
  
“The watchman?”   
  
“He is too old Haz, it has to be Fred.”   
  
“Marshall? Oh my god, TRAVIS? I KNEW IT!”   
  
“NO GUYS NO!” Zayn shouted. Moving back until his back touched the wall, as he sat leaning against it with his head in his hands, “NO NO NO NO SHUT UP I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO TRAVIS IS DAMN IT!”   
  
“Then?”    
  
“I can’t say Harry,” Zayn buried his face in his hands, shaking it.    
  
“Why?”   
  
“You and Louis will hate me forever. Louis specially, I broke a rule. Two rules. Biggest rule. Every rule.”   
  
“Who is it Zayn? What are you saying?” Louis asked, his eyes a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.    
  
“You don’t want to know.”   
  
“I  _need_  to know.”   
  
“Louis.. Don’t hate me please.”   
  
“Look at me Zayn.”   
  
Zayn finally did. Pulling his face out of his hands he met Louis’ eyes, and then Harry’s - both convincing and consoling and filled with a certain kind of sadness.    
  
“Please Zayn..”   
  
“Don’t hate me.”   
  
“Never, Zee.”   
  
“Liam," he whispered in a small voice.  
  
“What?”   
  
“Liam.”   
  
“Liam- L-Liam who?”   
  
“Liam- Prince Liam. Prince Payne..”    
  
“What- you- him?” he didn’t know who said that, he had closed his eyes while speaking out the name.    
  
When Zayn opened them, his eyes were glittering with tears again, as he looked back and forth from Louis astonished, shocked face to Harry’s thunderstruck one.    
  
“You- you can’t Zayn,” Harry said after a few moments of keeping his cool because what the fuck was Zayn saying? The royal family was against,  _against,_  homosexuality. Against the ‘mating of a male with a male’ as it was written on every annual decree.“You can’t! This isn’t happening.”   
  
Louis just kept staring at Zayn, knowingness etched on his face. Like he was putting little pieces together, forming this huge picture in his head which actually explained things.    
  
“I am sorry Harry but-”   
  
“Don’t sorry me, don’t but me Zayn Malik!” Harry’s words came in a rush as he got on his feet and started pacing in the room, “Do you know what this means? Do you know? Do you know anything? If anyone hears about this, you are going to be in mortal peril. Because you know how they would see this as? They won’t understand that you’re in love or anything, they would see a sinful person pinning on a prince who is very clearly interested in girls, they will see you as a threat to him! And he is a royal fuck’s sake! He is a royal Zayn, he doesn’t even consider you as his equal, he will have you hanged, he doesn’t even consider you worthy enough-”   
  
“I slept with him Thursday night.”   
  
“-to even talk t- what? What? Zayn what?”   
  
“I slept with him Thursday night. He called me to his room, I went. And he- he made me- made me lie down with him and I woke up in his arms. He said he loved me too.”   
  
“He- he knows?” Harry says in a choked voice, not believing this at all.    
  
“Yes.”   
  
“He- what else have you done that I don’t know of? How long have you been hiding this? What have you been doing behind my back?”   
  
“Nothing. Nothing has happened except that.”   
  
Harry sighed heavily, “And you do realize that he is a prince who could be just using you for sexual favors?”   
  
“Sexual- sex? Oh Harry,” Zayn chuckled dryly, the sound not playful or amusing at all, “No sex. We didn’t have sex, he just- he just held me and kept me there until I ran back here in the morning. I haven't stepped out ever since.”  
  
“That doesn’t mean he loves you Zayn. It doesn’t,” Harry said, looking at Louis for some kind of help because the other lad had been constantly staring at Zayn since the past few minutes, “He is a prince Zayn, he is a prince. And his father, how could he go against his father? You are intelligent Zee, you  _know_  this isn’t going to happen. What are we even talking about? One night doesn’t mean anything. If he even cared, he would have asked for you in the past three days! He hasn’t once.”   
  
Zayn didn’t hear the rest. His heart just sank and sank and disappeared somewhere in his body at those last three words. Obviously he was such a fool for believing in anything, even if it was just for a second.  

 _He hasn’t once._  
  
Zayn was such an idiot.    
  
—-   
  
 _I love you, but this is wrong, this is so wrong. I love you, but this is wrong, so wrong. I love you, but this is wrong. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love y-_  
  
“LIAM!” Niall slammed the book on his desk, bringing Liam back from his trail of thoughts.    
  
“Yes, yes brother?” Liam asked, once he saw Niall staring at him from the opposite side, his eyes confused and angry.    
  
“Are you even listening to what I’m saying?” Niall asked.    
  
“Yes, you were saying something about traveling with Dutchess Rovena, and his niece or whatever staying behind- yes.”   
  
“And what did I say after that?”   
  
“Sorry, I think I lost track after that,” Liam looked back apologetically, because the ringing of  _I love you I love you I love you_ in his head was distracting him a bit too much now.    
  
“You need to make sure Danielle stays safe, she is given the best of our hospitality. We are going to sign a treaty with the people of Norfolk and this is very important Liam. To keep our father’s kingdom safe, this is very important. I already have made everything clear to Louis but in case there is a mishap, or something goes haywire, you will have to deal with it. You are a prince Liam, you will  _have_  to take the responsibility.”   
  
“I never said I wouldn’t,” Liam said back firmly.    
  
“Your recent activities and the change in your behavior does give the aura of you not even caring about what goes on around here,” Niall put in, crossing his arms in front of his chest solemnly.    
  
“What are you referring to?” Liam asked, his throat suddenly dry because when had Niall became so observant? Oh wait, when had Niall not been observant?  
  
“You seem off when I talk to you, you excuse yourself and walk off when I invite someone over for a meeting, you haven’t been eating properly, you haven’t been even going to the stables that regularly.. What is wrong Liam? You know you can tell me anything, I am always here for you.” Niall said, concerned and worried, Liam could see and maybe he would have told Niall everything then.   
  
Told him how he had been effing restless since the past three days, like someone had drained all the life out of him in single blow. How finding no one beside him on the bed had scared him to the very core and he had ran out to confirm if the stable boy was still in the castle. How since the past 72 hours he hadn’t looked deep into dark brown eyes he had always waited for in the stables. He could have told Niall if it weren’t for the words Niall had spoken to him just after their father’s sudden death.     
  
So he resented on shaking his head and assuring Niall that nothing was wrong and continued to listen to whatever Niall was saying about the said treaty.    
  
≈≈≈≈  
  
It had been a red day. Red because there was a war going on. And Niall was 18 then, Liam only being 15 (called back from his training school like he always was before his father left for a battle). The boys hadn’t been allowed to go with their father,  _you are too young my sons, and you have to take care of each other behind me,_  and Niall had thrown a tantrum because  _when will I be allowed to fight father, why am i a prince if i can’t fight?_  and Liam had used his fake swords to poke Niall until the older boy had given in and picked up his own plastic armor to  _i will win or die_  and the boys had chased each other all around the castle trying to win the fake battle until Niall had finally surrendered and had let Liam sit straddling him, hoisting his sword in the air and declaring peace like he had heard about his father doing a couple of times.    
  
It was the next day that they got the news. They had won the battle, their father was coming back - that meant Liam was going back. Niall was obviously planning on how to celebrate once his father came home when another vizier had arrived with news, _‘The King had to stop in the way due to some complications’_. Niall knew his father would always overcome any kind of problem that would arise and so he had went on with the celebrations. Liam said goodbye, the carriages had arrived and he was off. And then four hours later, deadly news had broken out and he had to force the horsemen to turn around, go back home.    
  
He remembered how he had ran inside the castle gates, where there should have been a party going on. Instead all he saw was the servants and officials, running around frantic. The castles were in a state of disorder. But he couldn’t care less. The piece of news he had heard in the way couldn’t be true.    
  
It was though. For he didn’t find his father in the study. Instead he found his eighteen year old step-brother standing by the window, staring out, saying in a choked up voice when he heard his hurried footsteps, “I knew you were going to come.”   
  
“Is it true, brother?” Liam had asked, coming towards his brother whose face was a mask of terror and lifelessness.    
  
“Father was brutally injured, Liam. They said he had to stop in the way because his health grew worse. And then- then it happened.”   
  
“No.”   
  
“His last words were ‘tell my sons to take care of my kingdom and each other’ he asked us to stay together and that he loved us. Just like mother.”   
  
He had pulled Liam in a hug then. Liam who was fifteen years old and needed his brother more than anything. His arms going around his waist as he cried in his brother’s chest promising how he would never leave him alone.    
  
“I would never leave you alone too Li,” Niall had returned the promise and the boys sat awake all night, because they had a funeral to arrange. Niall had taken the responsibility of ruling the kingdom singlehandedly. He had arranged private tutors for Liam, his training had been put on halt mainly because Liam was shaken, in no state of leaving his brother anytime soon - Niall had said he would train him himself, he didn’t want to let go of Liam ever again, “We are staying together from now on.”   
  
Liam wasn’t in the condition to protest. He just agreed, tears staining his cheeks.    
  
The things Niall had managed to do in one day had made Liam respect him even more. And it wasn’t something that Liam realized or ever told Niall, it just happened. One of those times when something alters inside you and you don’t even know but you just start seeing everything in a new light.   
  
“We won’t let this kingdom fall,” Niall had declared in front of all the royal officials, sitting on his father’s throne while Liam sat on his mother’s chair beside it with his hands in his lap, “All decrees will remain like they are, none of my father’s rules or regulations will be changed. Nothing will change here, if my father was able to be so efficient in his rule for over a decade, that he made this kingdom flourish and prosper, all because he followed the path set by our ancestors, so will we. Don’t think that people will be given any sort of leeway, all systems will remains as they are. All margins the king had set will stay as they are, crossing limits and breaking any kind of rule will never be tolerated. Not under any situation.”   
  
Liam listened to his brother, committing every word to memory. The large crown on Niall’s head gave him an alarming aura and Liam was glad that he wasn’t in his place. He was glad he was the younger one. He could have never been as strong as Niall. Never.    
  
“Liam, you have to be with me in this okay?” Niall had explained to him that night, “You have to listen to me and promise you are in this with me. You will help me Liam, won’t you? The only thing I want from you is to stand by me when somebody refuses to follow father and fight against them. I just want you to support me, accept me as the king. I won’t be able to be as strong or powerful like father, but I will try.”   
  
And Liam had hugged him, “Yes. I swear I will always be with you. We won’t let father down. And you are strong brother, you are”   
  
“I won't be without you though Liam, I love you, little brother.”   
  
≈≈≈≈   
  
And now as Liam thought about that day, he just couldn’t help but wipe a tear out of his eyes with his sleeve and as always, Niall was quick in noticing.    
  
He came forward to place a hand on Liam’s shoulder, all the discussions regarding trade dealings forgotten, “Liam what is it? What is wrong?”   
  
“Nothing,” Liam shook his head, “Was just reminded of the day father died. And how even after five years, our kingdom still stands. All because of you.”   
  
“And because you stood by me Liam. I don’t know if anything would have been possible without you.”   
  
“I will always stand by you brother,” Liam nodded, “I promise I’ll take care of everything in your absence. And I am sorry if I have let you down.”   
  
Niall smiled, “You haven’t. You never have and I hope it remains the same way.”   
  
 _I love you, but this is wrong, this is so wrong. I love you.._    
  
“It will.”   
  
“Just don’t ever wipe your face off your sleeve again, that’s not a very prince thing to do,” Niall chuckled, returning to his chair. 

And Liam wondered if Niall loved him enough to let Zay- oh shut up.   
  
—-   
  
“I can’t believe this, I can’t believe this shit,” Harry started to shout in disbelief, the moment he left the servant quarters with Louis by his side.    
  
“Prince Liam, Prince Liam Louis,” Harry said, as Louis dragged him to the gardens where nobody would see him throwing a fit, “I just- why would Zayn even hide this from me. I just feel so, so betrayed at the moment Lou, I can’t even explain myself.”   
  
“Harry, it’s okay. Didn’t you see how scared he was?” Louis tried to calm him down, but Harry didn’t want to listen. He threw himself down on the grass the moment they reached the designated tree.    
  
“But Louis, how can anything like this even happen? When does Prince Payne  _ever_  call anybody up in his room like this? Nobody is allowed except the sweeper. And that also a girl. I think Zayn is making up things so that I’d let him go home.”   
  
“No,” Louis solemnly replied, “Prince Payne did ask for Zayn.”   
  
“What? What do you mean Lou?”   
  
“It was before Zayn started acting like this. He was out in the market with Amelia,” Louis explained, “Prince Liam told me to send him to his room after he came back. He also asked me not to give Zayn other chores. And I asked Zayn to go but I didn’t know why Prince Liam wanted him. I thought it was something about the stables.”  
  
“So… Zayn really- that doesn’t mean he did sleep with him Lou, it doesn’t.”   
  
“Yes, you could be right Harry. But- but then, the past three days, Prince Liam has been asking about Zayn continuously. He asked me today morning too and because I knew how Zayn wouldn’t listen to anyone I kept lying to the prince saying that he was sick or busy or dealing with some family things. The prince kept on asking every time Harry and it confused me a lot, and now everything makes sense. I don’t think Zayn is lying and we both know that Prince Liam has never shown this extent of interest in any other servant or anyone else. I think Prince Liam has taken to him.”   
  
“Prince Payne has been asking for him? Are you- are you serious Lou?”   
  
“Why would I ever lie to you Harry?”    
  
“But this is ridiculous. You know it’s ridiculous! And horrible and risky, it is all sorts of wrong Louis.”   
  
“What if- what if Prince Liam does like Zayn back?”   
  
“This is real life Louis, such things don’t ha-”   
  
“There is only one way to find out,” Louis was talking to himself by now, “I have to go tell Prince Liam that he is alright now, Zayn is alright now.”   
  
“Louis are you crazy? You know this is like walking into naked flames, we can’t do this!”   
  
“But Hazza, think about it? Prince falling in love with a servant-”   
  
“We are not servants!”   
  
“-and then ending up with him. And knowing Prince Liam, he won’t let go of Zayn if he actually is in love with him. So think, think what this could do for us? For all of us, everyone who is looked down upon?”   
  
“Sorry, Lou,” Harry contradicted, “But I can’t use Zayn like this. His life could be in danger.”   
  
“And you think Zayn wouldn’t want this? You think Zayn isn’t my friend like I don’t care about him at all? He is like a brother to me Harry. I have no idea how you can watch him in a state like this,” Louis said, his voice gaining more power by the second.    
  
After a prolonged moment of utter silence during which Louis stared at the swans that roamed around the royal grounds instead of looking at Harry, the curly haired boy finally said something, “Zayn is in love with him isn’t he? Like really in love with him?”   
  
Louis looked at him then, his hand reaching up on it’s own to wipe the fresh tears on his face, “Yes.”   
  
“Let’s do it then.”   
  
—-   
  
When he reached his room, saying goodbye to Niall who had to make arrangements with the dutchess, Zayn was the last thing on his mind.    
  
(because obviously his mind wasn’t even zayn’s place to be, it was his heart)    
  
He had promised himself that he wouldn’t betray Niall and even think about that boy now. He had ditched him and ran out of his room, he had the wit to do that. How dare he? He was beautiful and exceptional and he made Liam’s head spin but so what, he was a servant after all and nothing else and why could Liam still smell Zayn’s intoxicating scent on himself?    
  
Anyway, the prince was more than surprised to see Louis standing by his room door, waiting for him.    
  
“Is something wrong?” Liam asked when he reached the royal servant.    
  
Louis bowed immediately, “No your highness, I just wanted to apologize to you because- I have been lying.“   
  
Puzzled, Liam raised his eyebrows, “What?”   
  
“The stable boy wasn’t sick ever. He wasn’t ill when you called, I made up that excuse because Zayn has been reluctant in getting out of bed, or his room since Thursday. He refused to listen when I told him you had called and now he is getting out of hand so I decided that I was done covering up for him. And now that you know the truth, I am really very sorry.”   
  
Louis daren’t look up in Liam’s eyes because he could guess the prince’s anger, “You have been lying to me? Louis, I thought you were one of my brother’s most trusted.”   
  
But Louis also knew how he was safe, because he had the perfect excuse, “I’m sorry, your highness. But I was just looking out for a friend. I was looking out for Zayn. But now I am also done, he is being stubborn and I was going to King Niall to talk about what to do with him, but I thought it better to come here and apologize first.”   
  
Louis risked a glance at Liam and saw the prince’s expression falter, “No! You will not go to King Niall, I will handle this. He is busy with the dutchess anyway. Where is Zayn now?”   
  
“In his room, by the kitchens,” Louis said, “If you want I can go ask him to come here again.“   
  
“There is no need,” Liam said, “Take me to him.”   
  
—-   
  
When he pushed open the door and walked in, shutting it behind him, Liam could see nothing but absolute darkness. A familiar scent lingered in the room accompanied by the soft muffled sounds of silent sobbing.    
  
It took some time for his eyes to adjust to the darkness after which Liam could make out a large box lying in the corner near a chest of drawers and a bed lying beside it, a lump of blankets over it, covering someone.    
  
He steadily walked towards the bed, evening light fell from the window but it didn’t actually light up the entire room. All Liam could really see was outlines.    
  
“Go away Harry, I am not getting out, I am going to die like this or you can still send me home,” came a voice from under the blankets and Liam’s lips trembled because Zayn sounded more broken than the last time he was with him.    
  
Liam continued walking towards the bed, his footsteps echoing in the barren room, until he reached the very edge of the bed. Zayn was entirely covered in blankets and he couldn’t see him.    
  
Feeling the bed dip, Zayn growled from under the blankets again because why the hell did best friends have a problem when it came to leaving you alone, “Go away Harry, this is all your fault you bastard! Why did you have to bring me here? Everything sucks! I am not talking to you until you fucking take me back home, nor am I getting out! So just get the fuck out of here!!!”   
  
Liam didn’t know whether to smile because Zayn sounded so much like a toddler or if he should cry because Zayn was sniffing between his words and his voice was all hoarse and cracked as if crying and shouting was all that he had been doing.    
  
“Go away Harry, just go away. Leave me alone…” Zayn sniffed then, his voice a lot lower. Almost begging.    
  
“Zayn, why did you not stay in the morning?” Liam asked and he clearly heard the painful swallowing of a gulp that came from under the blankets.    
  
The silence hung and the minutes passed, Liam sat and waited and listened to Zayn’s uneven breaths. Until finally the blanket was lowered and a messy haired head peeked out from underneath. Liam couldn’t see the glassy eyes and the white teeth but nothing else. Zayn could see the outline of him, yes  _him,_  sitting beside him, looking right at him.    
  
“What are you doing here?” Zayn asked, no louder than a whisper.    
  
“I came to see you,” Liam said, “Louis said you couldn’t come meet me because you were sick.”   
  
“You shouldn’t be here. I am very sick. And contagious as well.”   
  
“It’s okay,” Liam assured, still not being able to make out Zayn’s countenance, “Niall is busy and Louis promised he would make sure nobody comes. You don't sound like you are sick.”   
  
“Why did you come?”   
  
“I told you. I wanted to see you,” Liam repeated, “But I sadly can’t do just that because it’s too dark in here. Is this how you live, in the darkness. Quiet, deep, secretive, mysterious, broody and living in dark corners of the house.”    
  
Zayn shifted then, and Liam thought he was going to push him off the bed or something (like zayn could do that) but the boy just sat up and moved away. Liam heard noises then as he tried to locate Zayn’s figure and watch what he was doing but he failed miserably.   
  
As it turned out, he didn’t need to wait to find that out for long for Zayn lit a candle, and it’s faint glow flooded the room, and Liam could finally see. The room was walls and cement and cold, shiny floor and empty. Just a bed in the corner on which Liam was sitting and a table, chest and trunk beside it.    
  
Zayn positioned the candle on the top of the chest and came back, sitting beside Liam on the bed - just like they had sat together on Liam’s bed that night. He kept looking at the flickering flame of the candle knowing that Liam’s hard gaze was on him.    
  
“You shouldn’t have come here,” Zayn said and the firm tone of his voice surprised the prince even.    
  
“You can’t tell me what I should and should not do,” Liam replied back, grimly.    
  
Zayn wasn’t expecting that reply. And thus he didn’t have a retort in mind so he stayed quiet.    
  
“I meant what I said that night,” Liam broke the silence when he felt the need to.    
  
Zayn didn’t respond, nor dd he turn his head to look at Liam. If he had, he would have known that Liam was also staring right at the flame now.    
  
“I waited for you in the stables,” Liam said again, “I waited for you every one of the past three days. You never came. It hurt.”   
  
Zayn didn’t know how to reply to that either. He resumed his silence.    
  
“Then I didn’t see you for three days, it was painful. You are all I think about and I don’t know how in the world do you stop thinking about someone. I nearly decided that I was never going to see you, I didn’t care and if I stayed away from you my feelings would go away. But none of those things happened. Instead, I came here and I had everything planned; how I’ll shout at you and scold you and banish you from this planet because you have done this to me. But then, my mind, it went blank because… because you. You are pathetic you know that? Because you stay away from me and then you allure me to yourself and you don’t even try. And now when I am here, and I want to be yours, you just look at that flame like you are in love with it instead of me.”

Zayn chuckled causing Liam to turn his head and look at him, “And now you are going to laugh at me because I’m such a fool aren’t I? Wanting you like this, wanting you everyday when you are in love with a stupid candle.”   
  
Zayn lowered his head, the smile fading away from his face as Liam saw it happen.    
  
“But I don’t care Zayn,” Liam turned now, his hand finally reaching out for Zayn’s shoulder whose brain started whizzing at Liam’s touch again. But Zayn refused to turn around when Liam tried to make him look at him. So this is what the prince did; he stood up, took a few small steps and before Zayn could make a protesting sound to stop him from leaving, he knelt in front of Zayn, placing his hands on Zayn’s thighs.    
  
If God had come down at that moment and asked Zayn to accompany him to heaven, Zayn would have turned him down without a second thought because in a minute, his own bare room had converted to paradise. Liam’s eyes were stuck on his face as he looked up at him, his face showing emotions that Zayn didn’t knew existed. He wished the room had better lighting.  
  
“Because I thought I could never give my heart and soul out to someone, but I was wrong,” Liam said, “And now I am such a fool for you that it’s hard to believe. But when I am with you Zayn, all those times in the stable, I just feel so- so me. Like I am not someone who is rich and lavish and who has hundreds of responsibilities over his head. I feel like I did before my mother married my Father. Brother’s father. King Horan. I was a normal child before, mother wasn’t really a queen. She was rich, renowned and beautiful, she was really beautiful Zayn, and Father, he just came and knelt in front of her and proposed. She couldn’t say no and my life changed. I had a brother and a castle and my own real sword even when I was a child. But then I realized all this was hard. And I had to be someone I was not. Wouldn’t be in a million years.   
But that is another thing, right now what matters is you and I. And if you are going to speak or not. Or if you are just going to tell me that this is wrong and I should leave, then let’s make this clear. Look,” Liam reached for Zayn’s hands which were lying on either side of his hips on the bed and held them in his, resting the mess of fingers on Zayn’s lap (zayn who had been crying ever since liam started to tell his life history because this wasn’t happening why was god being so cruel), “I know this is very wrong. I know I’m going against both my father and brother. But I have already dipped my hand in fire, I have already taken that step, I am far past it and I am ready to burn. If I get you in the end, I am ready to do any single thing in this world. If loving you is like eating a forbidden fruit, then that is all I want to eat Zayn because you and your grumbling at everything and your hands which feel so warm and perfect in mine… I mean it, I am a fool for you and I am ready to be hung if it means that I get to have you.”   
  
Zayn’s hands shook and shivered in his as his eyes blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears. But Zayn never was very good in keeping them in so he let them fall as he leaned forward and lowered his forehead until it was pressed against Liam’s.   
  
Those drops of tears somehow fell on Liam’s face who couldn’t care less because he was breathing in the air Zayn was breathing out and the way their breaths mingled was just straightly unexplainable.    
  
“Liam..” Zayn trailed off again, like he always did when he spoke that name because to him it was more than that. It was Zayn’s way of telling him how he would do anything for him too, how he would dance in the fire if he had to, how he would not let him bite that forbidden fruit alone. It was Zayn telling him that  _i accept you because how can i not i have loved you ever since you introduced me to woody because anyone would fall in love with you anyone. you are the best thing god ever created i love you._  And Liam understood everything because how could  _he_  not, he was in love with Zayn too.    
  
“Will you sleep with me tonight, again?” Liam asked and Zayn knew what he meant and he was glad.    
  
“I will,” he agreed because that seemed the right thing to do and he was this close to Liam he couldn’t actually say no.    
  
“I am going to say goodbye to brother at about eleven because he is leaving and I will return back to my room at eleven thirty because I have to show Danielle her way an-”   
  
“Danielle?” Zayn asked, confused, his hands still in Liam’s, resting on his lap and forehead still pressed against the kneeling prince’s.    
  
“Some dutchess’ daughter,” Liam explained quickly because who wanted to talk about some Danielle when Zayn was this close to him, “So when I come back, I want to see you there okay? Please tell me you will be there.”    
  
“Liam. I will be there,” Zayn smiled and Liam wondered why hadn’t he kissed him yet when their lips were only inches apart.    
  
“Please Zayn, don’t ignore me this time.”   
  
“I can’t,” Zayn said, “I love you.”   
  
“Say that again,” Liam said.    
  
“I love you, Liam.”   
  
“A little louder?”   
  
“I love you Liam,” Zayn chuckled, the sound echoing through the room this time.    
  
“A little lower?”   
  
“I love you Liam,” Zayn whispered.    
  
“Say it in my ear.”   
  
Zayn did, “I love you, Liam.”   
  
“Once more?”   
  
“I. Love. You. Liam.”   
  
“And I love you too. Just. Only you.”   
  
“I believe you,” Zayn was the first one to press their lips together slightly. And then instantly moved back, smiling, “Now go. I have to take a bath and apologize to Lou and Harry, I’ll meet you tonight.”   
  
Liam got up immediately, straightening his blue tunic and dusting off his knees, “I will wait for you.”    
  
Zayn walked him to the door and opened it for him, beckoning him to go out with a grin “Your highness.”    
  
“Don’t say that again,” Liam muttered as he walked out and Zayn shut the door. And just two seconds later, there was another knock.   
  
Zayn opened the door to reveal Liam again who just walked back in and shut the door behind him.    
  
“What?” Zayn said, weirded out.    
  
“I forgot something,” Liam said.    
  
“What?”    
  
And then Zayn was pushed against the wall, Liam’s hands on his waist as he kept him in place and Liam’s lips were on his. Letting out a surprised grunt, Zayn finally rested his own hands on Liam’s broad chest and sighed into the closed mouth kiss. Liam was determined to change that thought and so he kept licking Zayn’s lower lip until the boy let him in.    
  
From then the time flew by because all sorts of emotions ran through Zayn’s body while Liam’s tongue took control of his mouth and literally explored every part in the timespan of one point six minutes. When he pulled back it was because of the lack of air which Zayn already had forgotten all about and rested his forehead against his stable boy, “You taste better than I thought you would.”   
  
Zayn shook his head in response, throwing it back against the wall because  _what?_   Liam had  _thought_  about how he would taste? This wasn’t real.    
  
“This is a fairytale,” he said because it was and he would wake up anytime to find his mother perched on the side bed with a book in her hand while she recited the story.    
  
“No it’s more than that,” Liam corrected, “It’s real (and he kissed Zayn’s neck slightly). You and I. And tonight, its going to be more real and memorable. You will come, won’t you?”   
  
“How many times do I have to say I will?” Zayn asked, returning his gaze back to Liam’s flustered face, “I will.”   
  
“I just can’t believe this,” Liam said, “I love you so much.”   
  
“Now, go. I have to take a bath, I stink.”   
  
“You are beautiful.”   
  
The stable boy had to push a prince out of his room. When did life become so weird?

And beautiful?    
  
—-   
  
After he watched Niall leave, listened to him explain all that Liam needed to take care of behind him, the young prince asked Louis to show Danielle her way around the castle because  _really? he didn’t even like being around her_ and Louis knew every corner of the castle by heart anyway.   
  
He practically ran off to his own room to find the tanned lad already waiting there, trying to hide behind the curtains when he heard Liam open the door.    
  
Grinning, Liam just pulled him out from behind the curtains and chuckled at the number of expletives that left his mouth at being found as he buried his face in Liam’s neck.    
  
They slept together.  _Slept_  together and Liam didn’t think it could have been any better. Zayn being the first one to make a move when he pinned Liam down on the bed and trailed a path of kisses all the way down to his abdomen, stopping to brush his lips against his chest hair which caused the prince whimper underneath him. But he was a prince after all, and since whimpering wasn't a very prince thing to do, he flipped them over and pressed Zayn against the bed quite easily, keeping in mind his lean, slim frame which made him such a lightweight in Liam’s hands. And that had actually been the most excellent choice ever because when Zayn threw his head back and moaned while Liam entered him, inch by inch, slow, Liam was overwhelmed by the sight before him. Jet black hair matted against Zayn's forehead, slicked with sweat, when he arched his back and his muscles flexed becoming all the more prominent, when he half-screamed half-moaned and quivered as he came all over their abdomens, and when he murmured Liam’s name in his hair as he laid in his arms afterwards. Liam thought that he was really the luckiest man to have ever lived because everyone didn’t go through what he was, not everyone was allowed to see Zayn like this. Zayn was his. All his. Forever his. And you couldn’t change that even if you tried.    
  
(and when liam woke up the next morning, it was to find zayn still lying right next to him with his face buried in liam’s left armpit and his right left leg thrown over liam’s right, his right arm thrown around his waist like a promise)    
  
(and liam went back to sleep again because this dream was too beautiful to interrupt) 

—- 

In the days that followed, Liam tried his best to know every little detail about Zayn.    
  
First, he ordered Louis to keep the servants out of the floor his room was on. If he needed anything, he would call for Louis himself. After making sure that everything was in order under the appointed officials, he knew he was free to spend as much time with the tanned boy as he wanted.    
  
Liam took Zayn up to his mother’s room, which was still the same it was like fifteen years ago. They sat on the four poster bed, Liam’s head resting on Zayn’s lap as he told the boy all about himself.    
  
“…so father met mother after some war. I was three then, too small to know anything. She wasn’t really a queen or anything, just a renowned, respected female. Father fell for her and they were married before I could even know what was happening. So we were brought here, I had Niall as my brother. It was all good. I clearly remember being helped onto horses by Niall, and the sword fights, how he let me win every time. Then.. then there was news. Mother was dying and the best herbalists or doctors could do nothing about it. Dark days followed, mainly me and brother not leaving mother’s room. We used to sit right here, on a small chair as we saw mother weaken more each day. It was hell. Then she passed away. I was sleeping when it happened, got to find out the next day. Father had told brother not to wake me up, that it would pain me more than then. He was right, I was devastated.”   
  
A tear fell out of Liam’s eye then, which Zayn wiped off with his left index finger.    
  
“I am glad they didn’t wake me up to be honest, and I haven’t told this to anyone before. Because I wouldn’t have been able to see it. I would have died maybe. You know what Zayn? Sometimes I think I don’t deserve to be a prince you know, I just feel so weak sometimes. And I am basically called of royal blood, when I am not. It just doesn’t feel right sometimes Zayn. It’s always brother who leads battles, I stay back taking care of everything. He says I will fight over his dead body, he is enough for everyone right now. So I am here. Stuck between the four walls, unable to go out there and be allowed to actually do something. It makes me feel useless. I never asked for this life, never wanted to be this prince who rules an entire kingdom. But doesn’t fight in battles, doesn’t face the rivals and stays up locked inside like a coward.”   
  
“Shit no,” Zayn had blurted out, “No. Don’t think like that. Your brother is too caring Liam, he doesn’t want to lose you now. And he will know when you are ready, he knows how brave you are, he believes in you. I believe in you and I know you are brave.”   
  
“And I love you.”   
  
Zayn blushed so hard that the dark red could be seen from over his tan.    
  
—-   
  
There was sunshine and buttercups. Happiness and merriness.    
  
Whispering under the plum trees and laughing in the orchard. Hiding from everyone and breathing each other under the covers. Love making in the hay, using horse riding as an excuse for making out in the stables. Acting if anybody walked in,    
  
“You. Arrange the hay properly,” Liam commanded once when the watchman walked in at night.    
  
“Yes, your majesty,” Zayn said in a sarcastic tone as he kicked the hay stack with a grunt just as the guard walked out.    
  
They laughed then, somehow ending up in each other’s arms. In sweat, falling on the hay beds, as their hands slid into each other's trousers, little grains sticking to their bodies as they let out moans of ecstasy.    
  
Liam spent time with his stable boy after seeing to his responsibilities, Louis dealt with things Liam left out. Louis knew more than he should, and Liam knew that because Louis was more of a friend to Niall than he was a servant.    
  
The secret stares, meetings and sex went unnoticed by everyone living in the castle. Prince Payne had always been like this; aloof, away from any kind of kingdom work. Nobody really cared if he was spending a lot of his time in the stables. It was a known fact, Prince Payne loved horses. Nothing was suspicious.    
  
But there was a certain someone in the castle, who Liam was meant to charm. Spend time with. Get familiar with. Probably sleep with. Even.    
  
A certain someone who was getting irritated by a servant showing her around and telling her things.    
  
“Where is Liam?” she used to snap at Louis who wasn’t going to just take that tone. So he snapped right back,    
  
“ _Prince_  Liam is busy, Miss Dandyline.”   
  
“Its Danielle, servant.”   
  
“Yes. Miss Devona.”   
  
In response, she used to grit her teeth and stomp away, ordering Louis off; she would find her way around the castle herself.    
  
And one fine day, while finding her way in the castle, she had reached Liam’s floor. Liam’s door. After making sure that her neckline was deep enough to show off her cleavage she had reached for the doorknob, stopping midway at the sound of laughter. Two voices, both male. And she just stood there, listening until things got clearer, until innocent laughter turned into grunts and moans, her jaw fell more and more and she had enough information to make her lip curve into a smirk, as she trotted off, her head held high.    
  
—-   
  
Niall came back. Expecting to see Liam and Danielle lounging in the dining room, having gotten used to each other. In a relationship by now. Even.    
  
He didn’t know how wrong he was until he finally came back and was greeted by a scowling Danielle who had terrible and disbelieving news in store.    
  
Niall didn’t know how he managed to stand in front of Danielle and listen to what she was saying against his brother. Pathetic, unethical stuff.    
  
And Niall refused to believe anything at first, hoping that Liam would step up from behind the door and hug him and tell him that it was some kind of a joke and ‘i could never do anything like that brother’.    
  
But there wasn’t even a sign of Liam, he wasn’t there to welcome Niall. Plus, Danielle couldn’t possibly be  _such_  a good actress.    
  
He had just listened, with clenched fists, constantly shaking his head at the woman. Not daring to believe in a word until she irritatingly cackled madly, “I knew you wouldn’t believe me sir, and I didn’t expect you to. But maybe you would believe your royal servant whom you had left in charge, I think. You should have a word with him about your brother.”   
  
“Louis?” Niall had asked, eyes narrowed.    
  
“Louis, yes,” Danielle had mocked and if she hadn’t been the daughter of a woman Niall had just sealed a deal with, Niall would have slain her right there.    
  
—-   
  
“Liam, I think you should go now. Li- Liam no,” Zayn chuckled, as Liam playfully nibbled on his earlobe.    
  
The two boys sat huddled in the corner of the dark stable house. Liam leaning against the wall, his arms secured around Zayn, who was sitting in the V of his legs, his back pressed against Liam’s chest.    
  
“But I don’t want to,” Liam said, pressing his nose against Zayn’s neck.    
  
“King Horan must have arrived,” Zayn tried to reason with him.    
  
“I don’t think he is arriving until night,” Liam said.    
  
“Leeeyummm,” Zayn whined, trying to persuade the prince, who smiled at the sound of his own name.    
  
“How do you expect me to leave after saying my name like that?”   
  
“Li, if you love me, go.”   
  
“I don’t approve of this behavior,” Liam grinned into his neck.    
  
“Fuck you,” Zayn groaned and Liam just laughed into his neck some more before kissing it lightly.    
  
“Hey, look at me.”   
  
“No.”   
  
“Zayyyyn.”   
  
“No.”   
  
“Now you’re not going to talk to me?”   
  
“No.”   
  
“Then get out of my arms.”   
  
“No.”   
  
“I want to show you something.”   
  
“No.”   
  
“What the fu- oh.”   
  
Zayn jerked his head around to look at Liam instantly, a grin threatening to form on his lips, “What’d you just say?”   
  
“Nothing,” and Liam lowered his gaze to Zayn’s waist, his lips pursed in a straight line. He looked so much like a child who just got caught stealing candies.    
  
“You almost cursed,” Zayn said excitedly.    
  
“I..”   
  
“Say it, Liam come on. It’s nothing bad.“   
  
“Uhn.”   
  
“Why? How can you ever not swear?”   
  
“It’s not prince like behavior.”   
  
“And sitting in the stables, on the ground with me in your arms is?” Zayn raised an eyebrow.    
  
“With you in my arms is,” Liam looked up to meet his eyes.    
  
And they stayed like that. For a minute, two or more, they just kept returning each other’s gazes.    
  
“So now, can I give you something?” Liam said, breaking the silence.    
  
Zayn nodded, watching queitly as Liam fumbled with his own hands for a bit before he slipped a ring with a large emerald encrusted centre off his middle finger.    
  
“Here,” he said, holding the ring to Zayn’s face, “This was my father’s. My real father’s. And he gave it to my mother who gave it to me before she died. You know what she told me, she said that I should always be true to who I am. I shouldn’t let anybody change me, I should believe in myself and support Father and brother, be there for them. And when she gave me this ring, she promised me that one day, I will find someone who I just won’t want to let go. I’ll want to keep them forever. Like she wanted to keep my father. Now, that I have found someone whom I won’t let go of ever, I want to give this little gift to you. So you know, that I’ll always love you, every second.”   
  
“I can’t,” Zayn said, trying to hold his tears in, barely understanding anything Liam just told him.    
  
“Why? Don’t you love me?” Liam pouted and it was times like these that Zayn saw a normal boy in his lover, and not a rich prince.    
  
“I- I don’t need this. I- I can’t take this Li, this belongs to you.”   
  
“And you belong to me too, so I don't see why you shouldn't have this” Liam said, reaching for Zayn’s hand and effortlessly slipping the ring onto his ring finger which had suddenly gone limp under his touch.    
  
“Liam..” Zayn tried to protest again but was cut short by Liam’s lips on his and a sincere ‘i love you’ that was breathed into the kiss.    
  
—-   
  
Niall was pacing in his study when Liam came in. He had obviously seen the royal carriages standing outside the castle gates and knew that his brother had arrived. Instantly, he had rushed off to greet him.    
  
“Where were you Liam?” Niall asked as he hugged Liam, who seemed to be out of his breath and was stinking of sweat.    
  
“I didn’t know you were arriving today brother,” Liam said, wiping a sweat drop off his forehead, “I would have been there to greet you.”    
  
“You’re sweating,” Niall pointed out, “And smelling. And your clothes are covered in dirt.”   
  
“Work in the stables today,” Liam said without a beat.   
  
“You had been staying in the stables behind my back, a lot, I have heard.”   
  
“Uh, yeah. I was. It was because. Er, Woody had fallen sick while you were gone, brother, I had to.”   
  
“Really? What happened to him?” Niall asked, noticing how Liam was rubbing his palms together now.    
  
“Uh.. I don’t know. Just, he was- fidgeting and neighing, causing chaos constantly.”   
  
“Oh. But Woody has never fallen ill before. I need to have a word with the stable boy, he needs to know how a job is don-”   
  
“No!” Liam half-shouted, his words coming out in an impatient rush, “He is perfect. He seriously does the job well. We couldn’t find a better stable boy if we tried.”   
  
“Are you sure?”   
  
“Yes, I am sure. He really is the best we could have. I will go wash off now brother, you should take some rest. You seem tired,” Liam said, blinking rapidly as he awkwardly waked out of Niall’s study.    
  
He couldn’t quite manage to perceive or notice the look of confusion cum suspicion that was clouding over Niall’s face, while everything dawned on him.    
  
—-   
  
Louis stood in front of him, his head bowed down as Niall related to him everything he knew from Danielle.    
  
Niall could practically see him biting his lip furiously and wringing his hands in pure frustration as he tapped his feet impatiently with his forehead all crinkled up. Louis was nervous, very tensed and being familiar with Louis, Niall knew why.    
  
“Tell me Louis, is this true?” he asked once he had finished.    
  
Louis just kept staring at the floor and this wasn’t good because Niall wasn’t famous for his patience with people.   
  
“Look. At. Me. Lou,” he said in a metallic tone, and Louis recognized the anger behind it because he was shifting his head up the next second.    
  
Tears were outlining the blue eyes and if it were any other situation Niall would have asked Louis to go back and come sometime later. But anger was bubbling inside Niall and all he could see was red. All he cared for was the truth and he didn’t know who he would kill if Danielle’s words were true.    
  
“Louis. Is it true?”   
  
And Louis nodded. Very slightly. Because lying to Niall wasn’t ever one of his priorities.    
  
Niall’s fists had clenched because that one head movement changed a lot of things. A lot of feelings.    
  
“A- and- a- Louis is it  _all_  true? All of it?”   
  
Biting his lip, Louis nodded again, he could see the red outlining of Niall’s eyes and it was more than he had agreed for. Niall was strong. Louis had never seen him cry once, not after the day his father had died.    
  
“And you knew everything Louis?” this was less that a whisper, driving stakes through Louis’ heart as he gave another nod.    
  
The color drained out of Niall’s face. And Louis watched it turn pale from red.    
  
“Louis, I trusted you,” Niall said, his eyes full of disgust.    
  
And it made Louis feel bad because yes, Niall had trusted him more than anything and now he was here, right in front of him. Lying to his face like it was the easiest thing in the world.    
  
“Niall..”   
  
“What Niall? You hid everything from me, everything. Remember? Remember you promised you would always be faithful, report everything to me. And I thought you were doing your job. I thought you were being honest all these years. But no. I was wrong in trusting you like a friend. I shouldn’t have, I- Father had been right. You people are all traitors.”   
  
Louis’ heart sank at that. Sank like an anchor does, touching deep sea ground with a rough thud. Unable to help himself, he fell on his knees, in front of Niall, with his head bowed down low.    
  
“Niall, I am sorry. I had to keep it a secret, they are my friends.”   
  
“And I am your king. You have been with me longer than you have been with anyone else.”   
  
“Prince Payne told me to keep it in the quiet.”   
  
“Prince Payne doesn’t know what he is doing. But you did Louis, you knew what was happening! And you could have told me, I would have kept Liam in control.”   
  
Louis sniffed. He waited to hear a punishment of some sorts. Because that is what was always in store for any kind of a traitor. Now, he knew he wasn’t an exception. And he had to deal with whatever it was. He told himself that he could, and he would. He couldn’t leave the castle, it was basically his only home.    
  
What he wasn’t expecting was an order. A heart shattering order.    
  
“I’ll have to send them away. Send Zayn and his friend away.”   
  
Louis’ head shot up, but Niall wasn’t looking at him. He was staring right ahead, his expression as stony as ever. His eyes fixed on his father’s giant portrait that hung behind the desk.    
  
“Niall… Please?” he pleaded, this couldn’t be happening.    
  
 _Why Harry?_  
  
“I will have to Louis,” Niall said, this time his voice expressing more fury, determination, “I don’t want any kind of abomination to even linger in or around my kingdom.”   
  
“Niall bu-”   
  
“Liam was never like that. Your new boy, whom I don’t even know of, has changed him. Liam was my little, my small brother whom I protected with my own life. Now I don’t even know him. He has forgotten that he is a prince, forgotten that he needs to act like one and not act like sinners. That boy has to leave.”   
  
It seriously pained Louis’ heart. He could clearly imagine Zayn’s face in his head. Horror struck, a mask of immense disbelief, heart break. But there was another face framed with curly hair which was even more vivid and effective.    
  
“Why Harry?” he found himself saying, his hands reaching out to touch Niall’s knees. An action that implied how he was begging now.    
  
“He can’t stay,” Niall said, turning around, his robes bellowing as he walked towards the large window, staring out into the dark sky, not meeting Louis’ desperate eyes.    
  
“But Niall.”   
  
Niall was human. The way Louis was crumbling down right in front of him was tearing his insides apart. But he was bound by his Father’s rules and his own promises to the country. He didn’t know what to do, hearing the loud sobs which sounded so broken. He had never seen Louis cry before. He always managed to keep his cool. Being happy go lucky and joyous at all times. And Niall alway saw him like that, the happy Louis who would do anything Niall would ask him too.    
  
Yes, Louis had been there for him at times when Liam hadn’t. He was his friend, Niall had never cared about the caste differences when he was with Louis. Their companionship just felt real. And now. Everything. Had ended. Just like that. Poof.    
  
Or maybe it hadn’t. Friendships don’t disappear just like that. The care for each other remains.    
  
“Then take Harry and leave.”   
  
The silence that followed was loud and disbelieving. The wind bellowed outside as Louis stared at the back of Niall’s blond head, and Niall kept his eyes fixed on the thunderous sky.    
  
“Niall…” Louis whispered, his voice questioning and confused.    
  
“Go. Take your boy, _only_ your boy, and leave the castle. I don’t want to see you in the morning. Run, run far away, before I change my mind.”   
  
Turning around, he gave Louis one last look, which clearly said _‘i don’t believe i am doing this’_ , before he walked past him and out the study door.    
  
—-   
  
 _That night, when two shuddering figures disappeared down the hill, which separated the town from the castle, no one noticed.  
  
A curly haired lad just kept his face hidden in the lankier ones shoulder, as he rubbed soothing circles on his back ‘zayn will be fine zayn will be fine’, and they left the Horan Castle, to never return._    
  
—-   
  
A new sunrise. And Zayn woke up to find Harry missing.    
  
He asked around, after dressing up in his khaki trousers and faded white tight tshirt because Liam liked how it clung to his body. To his misfortune, Zayn didn’t find any clue, instead he found that Louis was missing too.    
  
It was Maria, who had to force him to eat something, who told him how Louis and Harry left last night. And sat with him while he weeped on her shoulder because _‘how could they leave me what happened why?’_  
  
Maria had no answers to offer.    
  
—-   
  
In the royal dining hall, Liam was about to face a critical issue too.    
  
“Liam, I need to discuss something with you,” Niall said over breakfast.   
  
“Yes, brother?” Liam asked, trying to ignore Danielle, who was smiling in a way that he found irritating.    
  
“You once promised me, that you will always do anything I ask you to. Do you remember?”   
  
“Yes, what can I do?” Liam asked, clearly confused.    
  
“I want you to get married.”   
  
Liam’s fork fell from his hand as he tried to keep his protests inside. To no avail.    
  
“Isn’t- isn’t this a bit soon? I mean, you haven’t gotten married yourself brother,“ Liam didn’t try to sound this nervous so it wasn’t his fault if his voice was betraying him big time.    
  
“That is why Liam, I want to get you married and fulfill this responsibility before I take a wife,” Niall explained, watching Liam who was playing with his fingers now.    
  
“I am just twenty,” Liam tried to reason.    
  
But his reasoning was clearly denied when Niall solemnly shook his head and got up from his seat, making it somewhat rattle against the floor.    
  
“I’m not asking you to do something Liam, I’m  _telling_  you to get married. So if you do have some objections, keep them to yourself.“   
  
“But brother…” and Liam trailed off because a maid had just entered and he didn’t want her to hear any of this and pass it to Zayn, god forbid.    
  
There was absolute silence disturbed only by the slight clink and clanks of the platters as the cook picked them up after piling them, turning to leave.   
  
“Maria,“ Niall stopped her before she could exit the dining hall.    
  
“Yes, your highness,” Maria bowed (or tried to to bow but failed due to the dozen dishes in her hand).    
  
“Send Zayn Malik to my study,” the prince ordered as he walked out the hall, the hem of his embroidered robes trailing after him.    
  
And Liam’s heart stopped beating, his eyes panic stricken, as Danielle smirked coldly beside him.    
  
—-   
  
All Niall had really wanted to do, was get a reaction from Liam. He hadn’t been planning on directly questioning him about his affairs with the stable boy.    
  
So, it would be fair to say that he had gotten a reaction. Only that it wasn’t the one he expected or to be more precise, wanted.    
  
Because being an elder brother, he knew Liam more than Liam knew him. He knew his every move, all his little actions, could read all kinds of expressions that came and left his face - fear and anger, pure worry or apprehension.    
  
This one however, said something else. This one, he hadn’t seen on his brother’s face ever.  It was like Liam was confused and scared out of his wits, more scared than confused. And the part Niall detested the most was; Liam wasn’t scared for himself. He was scared because of someone he clearly loved more than anything.    
  
A _boy_.    
  
A _stable_ boy.   
  
Like, how could Liam even think of such a thing? Falling in love with an unimportant person of no means. No caste. No manners or etiquettes for all anybody knew. This wouldn’t only just be unacceptable but would also be a disgrace to his entire family. An insult to the entire Horan bloodline. And for Niall, that includes Liam (he would never listen to anyone telling him otherwise).    
  
It is when you’ve made up your mind according to what you have heard, its when you have already judged a person before you meet them, that you don’t really pay attention to the fact that they might turn out to be nice. You refuse to believe that the person might be entirely, completely different from the sick image you’ve created in your mind.    
  
Thus, when Zayn Malik finally entered his study, Niall couldn’t help but cringe inwardly and stare at him coldly. He disliked the way the Asian native was dressed; all his servants were supposed to be in ironed white uniforms, not loose and comfortable cotton shirts. He despised the way the boy was biting his lips; that was a sign of absolute illiteracy. A giant list had formed in his head including everything he detested about Zayn. And just so you know, that list was pretty long.    
  
“So, you are Zayn Malik?” Niall asked, resting on the gigantic chair behind his mahogany desk as Zayn stood before it, not daring to let his gaze meet the king’s.    
  
“Yes, your highness.”   
  
“And you have been here since?”   
  
“The past two months, sir.”   
  
“Why wasn’t your arrival brought into my knowing?”   
  
Zayn didn’t reply. Niall didn’t wait for him to reply either.    
  
“Louis brought you here.”   
  
Zayn nodded.    
  
“What have you been doing here since then?”   
  
“I have been looking after the stables, sir.”   
  
“Well, it has brought into my account that you haven’t been doing the said job appropriately.”   
  
That is when Zayn head shot up and he stared at the prince, incredulous. He knew, he was a hundred percent sure that he had been maintaining the stable area very well since the very first day - despite the presence of a constant distraction known as Liam. So this, this what Niall had just accused him of, was something more of a shock than a surprise.    
  
“What..” he trailed off under the king's cold gaze.    
  
“And that is why, I am replacing you.”   
  
“But sir-”   
  
“Don’t object. You have already broken one major rule, and I have let that go. Residing anywhere on the castle grounds without my knowledge is not allowed under any circumstance,” Niall stood up, his palms flat on the desk surface in front of him. The height of his anger could be judged by the furious lines sketched all over his face.     
  
Zayn had no idea what was there to be so angry about. And Zayn wouldn’t because he didn’t know that he wasn’t just a stable boy in Niall’s eyes, he was ‘the indignant boy who ruined my brother’ instead.    
  
“Okay,” this time Zayn’s voice held firmness too, he knew he hadn’t done anything wrong and all he wanted to do at the moment was to run off towards Liam’s room and tell him everything and convince him to talk to Niall because of all people, Liam knew best how diligent Zayn was when it came to work.    
  
“And you are to leave this castle before the royal ball ,” Niall ended his conversation and this time Zayn’s expression was one of pure horror because  _what?_    
  
“Your highness?” Zayn asked because he must have not heard right. Prince Horan couldn’t be saying what he had just heard, his ears were definitely ringing.    
  
“Yes. You came here without my permission, but now that you’re here, you do as I say. Nobody who breaks the rules is pardoned like this, you’re being given special treatment because of Louis. You should be thankful.”   
  
If Niall had wanted, he could have sent Zayn away with a single nod without any kind of elaboration of his order. It was because he was rather enjoying the color changes on Zayn’s face that he didn’t. He could see the boy’s bottom lip whimper, his hands going around each other, trembling. But there was no ounce of pity left in Niall; what Danielle had told him, how Liam had been lying to him, how his own father was against this - there was no room for any kind of justification or lenience.    
  
All Zayn’s mind could process was;  _Liam Liam Liam I have to go talk to Liam._  Because he had heard Prince Horan was just and fair and kind and calm but according to what he was seeing, Prince Horan was not even close to that description.    
  
“I am sorry, your highness,” Zayn said meekly, his only aim being to find Liam and relate the events to him. He would make it all better. He was  _his_  Liam after all - he loved him, he would do anything for him, everything would be fine.    
  
“Good. Keep in mind, I don’t want to see you anywhere near this castle after the ball. Or even at the ball. Am I clear?” Niall asked one last time.    
  
And that is when the most important question hit Zayn:  _what ball? when ball? how much time does he have?_ And so he asked, his voice stronger than before.    
  
“What ball, your highness? When is the ball?”   
  
He didn’t expect Niall to reply, because servants like him weren’t directly told of events by the king, they heard it from the chief or the head servant, mostly.    
  
But Niall did reply. And his reply changed everything.    
  
“Day after tomorrow, the ball we are holding in the honor of Prince Payne’s engagement to the Dutchess of Norfolk.”    
  
—-   
  
Zayn had never required Harry’s presence this much in the past he doesn’t know how many years.    
  
Yes, okay, maybe he had been heartbroken and miserable when Harry had left him for a job, but what he felt right now was more painful and hurting. This time he needed Harry to take him away. Because he had been right, Harry had been so fucking right.    
  
Liam wasn’t Liam. He was Prince Liam, prince of the entire country. Prince Payne. Prince Gorgeous Motherfucking Lovely Adorable I Am In Love With You Payne.    
  
And what he have doing to Zayn up till now was… was… Zayn still didn’t know what it really was. Because it had all been so real, everything was so imperfectly perfect. Genuine, as if it was meant to be, his fate, that one true love he had only ever heard in stories about. But then.    
  
Then. Prince Horan had thrown the news right at his face. Zayn hadn’t believed a word. He had just limped out of his highness’ study after that. In a daze, his mind trying to process what he had been told.    
  
After that, he had somehow managed to reach Liam’s floor, only to find Liam laughing rather gladly with an equally glad Danielle. And he stood there, by the banister, just on the very last step and watched as she giggled and flushed and followed Liam inside (Liam whose face Zayn couldn’t see, but his muscular figure was enough for Zayn). That view, that victorious chuckle mixed with Liam’s light (reluctant) laughter, was enough to make Zayn’s heart sink as he turned back, running to his room to pack things up.    
  
Only that Liam’s words overshadowed his senses once again. Those meaningful words spoken to Zayn in promising whispers, in dark corners of the stable, under warm blankets in sweaty breaths. And he had to mentally slap himself because how could he believe in any kind of such bull without talking to Liam. He was suck an asshole, really. But then.    
  
Then. Liam didn’t show up in the stables that evening. And Zayn waited and waited. Sitting cross legged beside Woody, watching the foal’s glassy eyes as his own turned glassier by the minute. And 5PM turned into six and six into seven, seven to eight as the tears fell down his cheeks. His eyes never left the entrance of the stables, until the watchman came shouting, literally pushing him out.    
  
“King Horan’s orders,” he had said gruffly, “You aren’t allowed here anymore, young boy.”   
  
—-   
  
Torn apart. Were the only two words that had the ability to describe Liam’s state.    
  
And torn apart because he couldn’t decide if he wanted to punch Danielle in the face (and who gave a fuck if that wasn’t prince like behavior) and run off to Zayn; tell him what Niall was planning, seek help, comfort, assurance, that only Zayn could provide him with. Or if he wanted to hide everything from Zayn in order to not hurt and wait it out, figure out a way and live with Zayn like he was living with him now.    
  
He knew the latter could cause trouble. But he also knew how he couldn’t carry out his first option. Because then Niall would doubt. He would investigate. This was putting Zayn in danger - Liam could die but not let that happen.    
  
And so he decided to lay low. Stay with Danielle, act satisfied, make her happy, avoid the stables (and he will apologize to Zayn later), act like a perfect obedient brother and just maybe the whole wedding plan would wear off Niall’s mind. Hopefully.    
  
And after the castle gates would be ordered shut, and Niall would finally walk off to his room sleep, Liam would sneak off to Zayn.    
  
And tell him everything.    
  
—-   
  
His last plan went astray.    
  
Because as it turned out, Zayn already knew. And he was bound on leaving the castle.    
  
When Liam slipped into his room, it wasn’t quiet or dark or peaceful this time. It was full of light coming from the three candles Zayn had positioned on the shelf top, and Zayn’s trunk lay open on the bed as he fumbled with the things inside it.    
  
Liam walked over, stood beside him and asked, “Why are you packing up your stuff Zayn?”   
  
And Zayn looked up, his face blotchy and eyes an ugly shade of red. Liam got the answer immediately. He leaned forward, grabbing for Zayn’s shoulders and pulling him in effortlessly, wrapping him up with his arms tightly. Zayn gave in immediately too, because how could he push Liam away so soon, as he hid his face in Liam’s shoulder and continued to weep, shaking sobs and whimpering sniffs. And Liam rubbed his back, over and over, whispering his words of comfort which usually ignited a new fire in Zayn and made him fearless and brave but this time, sparks of hatred and loathe glowed inside him, and he pushed Liam away with a soft ‘no’ which didn’t cease to shatter Liam’s eardrums. Or it was his heart, maybe. Liam was too numb and scared to notice such trivial nothings.    
  
“Zayn, what happened?” Liam asked, watching Zayn wipe his tears off his overgrown sleeves.    
  
Staring at him through his moist eyes, Zayn shook his head as he spoke the words that slashed up his insides, “You are marrying the dutchess of Norfolk.”   
  
The time froze for a minute there as Liam tried to swallow the huge lump in his throat because Zayn couldn’t know, not like this.    
  
“Zayn- I- I…” Liam trailed off, not being able to provide any justification because Zayn looked so weak, almost frail, like Liam’s words would break him and Liam could never do that to him.    
  
But then Zayn’s expression hardened. He wiped away every trace of tear off his face, his eyes seemed to blaze as he moved towards his small suitcase again, “Actually, I shouldn’t be blaming you Liam. Prince Payne, I mean. It is not your fault that you’re marrying some  _rich_  heiress, you’re a prince. You are supposed to do that.”   
  
“Zayn no-”   
  
“I don’t know how I came into all of this, when I’m such a misfit. I don’t even belong here. I belong in rags and rubbish and abandoned street corners, I don’t know why I- I even thought I was different. And fuck Harry, that idiot, he was so damn right about everything. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. And you. You should be so happy right now, you’re getting what every prince dreams of. A  _wife_.”   
  
“Zayn please listen to me. This is not my decision. This is not what I want!“   
  
“Then what do you want Liam? What do you want?” Zayn almost shouted but was stopped short by Liam’s hand as the prince placed his right hand over Zayn’s mouth, the other going around his waist as he pulled Zayn to himself with ease.   
  
“You. I want you,” Liam began, eyes boring into Zayn’s, “I have wanted you since I saw you that day in the ball and I want to spend my entire life with you and I don’t fucking care about anything else.”   
  
Zayn, who had been momentarily paralyzed due to Liam’s actions, removed Liam’s hand off his mouth. Holding it in his hand, not letting go as he spoke, “You’re only saying that, you don’t mean that.”   
  
“It actually hurts to know that you think like that,” Liam said, “It hurts to know that you don’t believe in my love for you.”   
  
“Because I have no reason to believe in you Liam. You’re getting married. Married. And there is nothing wrong with that because you’re a prince, it is supposed to be this way with you. I don’t belong with you Liam.”   
  
“Stop talking Zayn, you don’t know what you’re saying love. I don’t care if I’m a prince or not. I’m your Liam, not anything else- Zayn..”   
  
“No no no no no, if you were my Liam, if you were, you would have said no to marriage with Danielle. But you didn’t Liam, you didn’t because you’re too ashamed of me. You’ve wounded me open Liam, and now you are here to spray salt on them! Fuck, love isn’t like this.”   
  
Zayn shoved Liam back, “They were right. Harry and Louis who told me that you could never love me. Prince Niall was right too,  I have been ao stupid, I have broken rules, I am just a stable boy and I need to leave.”   
  
“Niall? What did Niall say to you?” Liam asked, reaching for Zayn, being shoved off again.    
  
“He was the one who fucking told me, god damn it! When you should have! But oh wait, you were too busy frolicking about with your future wife. Why would I come to mind?”   
  
“What did Niall say?” and maybe it was the look of fear and fury and shock on Liam’s face that made Zayn reply.    
  
“Yes. He said I wasn’t doing my job right and I need to leave the castle before the ball. Before your- your engagement.”   
  
Then he forced himself out of the room, leaving Liam to deal with his last words. And then it dawned on Liam, something that Zayn hadn’t figured out yet.    
  
—-   
  
The moment he stepped out of his room - ‘old’ room - Zayn broke into a run. His heart pained, shattered and broken. His heart yearning and shouting for Liam to come out and grab him and make him stay. Fight for him, be with him. But Liam didn’t come, not even when he was out of the castle, on the pathway that led all the way from the castle doors to the castle gates. Heading towards the massive iron gates, Zayn could already see the carriages waiting for him and he had a dreadful gut feeling that Prince Horan had arranged them for him and if he’d board one, he’d be taken somewhere far away. From where he wouldn’t be able to find his way back.    
  
But then two hands stopped him, gripping his shoulders from behind and jerking him back, causing him to turn around and face… Liam .    
  
“You can’t leave me,” the prince said. His eyes were shining with tears and Zayn wished he couldn’t see them but the stupid moonlight was too bright.    
  
“I don’t have any reason to stay Li,” Zayn said, his voice weak because he had never seen Liam cry like this before.    
  
“You do, I am your reason to stay. I love you Zayn, I love you. I love you. I  _love_  you!,” with every word Liam’s grip on Zayn’s shoulders kept on tightening. His shaken resolve of not letting go strengthening.    
  
“Liam-”   
  
“You want me to not marry Danielle, correct? I will not marry her. I’ll will not let Niall harm you. He can’t do this to you. He knows, so what? I will not let him banish you like this. He cannot take you away from me. Okay? Okay? Stay, Zayn, please stay.”    
  
“Niall knows?” Zayn asked, his trunk falling from his hands as he gripped Liam’s waist because he wasn’t expecting this. He needed some support to keep his legs from failing him.    
  
“Yes yes. He does. He knows and that is why he wants me to get in marriage with her,” Liam explained, his words coming out in a hurried, thoughtless rush, “I know how his mind works, he is my brother. I  _know_  him. He wants you to get out of here, his carriages will take you someplace far away from here Zayn. I won’t let you go. I will talk to Niall, I’ll force him to let you stay.”   
  
He didn’t know that Liam would be ready to take that step even. Liam would be ready to go against all that he’d ever been made to believe. All that, for Zayn.    
  
“Liam…”    
  
“I won’t let you go. I won’t let you go.”   
  
“Let him go, Liam.”   
  
Liam jerked around. His eyes finding the demeaning figure of Niall in the partial darkness. Zayn remained rooted to the spot, trying to hide behind Liam as Liam stared straight at his brother who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.    
  
“Brother,” Liam said, “Listen me out first.”   
  
“Let him leave Liam,” Niall ordered again, “Or else he will be forcibly taken away, your choice.”   
  
At Niall’s words, Zayn crouched even lower behind Liam. He didn’t know what Niall meant, apparently Liam did. And he walked towards his brother, causing Zayn to cower a little more - suddenly feeling naked now that Liam wasn’t standing close to him.    
  
“Brother, you won’t,” Liam whispered when he reached Niall.    
  
“You  _know_  I will,” Niall said, not even bothering to lower his voice, “You’ve disgraced our entire family. I told you, I told you to never go against father’s rules.”   
  
“I can explain, I can explain everything,” Liam begged.    
  
“What is there to explain Liam? You lied to me because of this boy, a boy Liam, a boy. You- how could you even think of doing such a thing?”   
  
“Listen to me pl-”   
  
“No Liam. There is nothing to listen to. I’m not allowing such _queerness_ in my kingdom. He has corrupted you Liam, he needs to leave.”   
  
“He didn’t do anything brother, it was all my doing. All of it,” Liam announced then. His voice rattling through the cold night air.    
  
Zayn could see the tension build between the two men. He could also see the sword bearing guards that stood behind Niall. He didn’t know why they were needed.    
  
“Liam… Why?” Niall asked, weakly, and for the first time Zayn felt bad for him.   
  
“Because I am in love with him. I am.”   
  
And maybe Zayn didn’t feel bad anymore. That was all he ever wanted to hear. Liam telling Niall that he loved him. He loved him. It was surreal. Unbelievable and until now, only ever happened in Zayn’s dreams.    
  
“I was wrong about you Liam, wrong when I believed that you could be of royal blood,” Niall said, as Liam saw his eyes fill with absolute disgust for him, “Wrong when I thought you were my true brother. My father’s son.”   
  
“Brother I-”   
  
“Take the boy away,” Niall commanded and Zayn knew why the guards were needed.    
  
Their response to Niall’s words was immediate as they stamped forward. Strong looking, heavily built men in metallic uniforms, rounding up on him and Zayn backing off from them.    
  
His face a canvas of thirty different kinds of horrors as he found himself thinking why Liam wasn’t coming to his rescue this time. His unspoken questions were answered by Liam’s muffled cries as he felt mean hands grab him by the shoulders and drag him towards the gates.    
  
Liam was being held back too, Zayn could see huge figures standing on either side of the young prince holding him back as he thrashed in their arms and cried out for Zayn. And Niall to lay off Zayn. Mostly.    
  
Zayn shouted too. Thrashed wildly, smacked a uniformed guard in the forehead in the process. And then he screamed or cried, he couldn’t tell. Because a punch had landed on his jaw as fell face first on the ground. His forehead touching the cold bricks.  
  
“ZAYN!”   
  
It was Liam who shouted his name, an ear shattering scream. Who else would it be. But he couldn’t respond because all he could taste was blood and all he could feel was pain, more blows in his gut and jaw. Every particle in his body ached, his heart ached more.  
  
He could hear Liam crying and begging in the far distance. It was all he could hear really, he focused on that voice, now not being able to scream because of the pain.    
  
He heard Niall say something as the guards showered him with kicks and blows ashe curled into a ball, defenseless, smelling of blood and probably covered in bruises. Niall’s statement included the word ‘ _kill_ ’ in it - one word he heard very very clearly - and his blood ran cold as he opened his eyes to find Liam. _Please don't kill Liam._  
  
But then Liam’s bloodcurdling cry shattered his eardrums.    
  
“LET HIM GO PLEASE JUST LET HIM GO BROTHER I WILL DO ANYTHING STOP HURTING HIM!”   
  
More words were said. Incoherent, unclear words. He shut his eyes back, screaming Liam's name to make sure he was okay. And then the blows stopped, the guards seemed to have backed off and Zayn nearly cried of relief (and not pain) when he felt somebody sit next to him and two very familiar hands touched his battered cheek. He did not open his eyes, just lay there. The hands caressing his bruises, his arms and face. Stroking gently as he was slowly, carefully made to stand on his feet.    
  
Zayn staggered a bit, his knees, face and abdomen hurting badly. But Liam’s strong hands kept him standing. He leaned fully against Liam, feeling the prince shake and tremble against him. He was scared. Just as much as Zayn was.    
  
“Zayn, baby,” he whispered in Zayn’s ear, “I want you to go right now. Leave. Go where they take you. Okay?”   
  
Zayn shook his head, so slightly that if Liam hadn’t felt the head shake in his neck, he wouldn’t have known that Zayn had just shaken his head.    
  
“I will come to you okay? I love you and I’ll come to find you and I’ll be with you. Okay? Go now Zayn, he will kill you. Go,” Liam's voice cracked.  
  
“No,” this time Zayn managed to croak out.    
  
“For me baby, for me.”   
  
Zayn felt hands on his shoulders again, he resisted.

“Li, please don't send me away,” he begged.

Liam didn't let go off his waist, did not even say a word, just kissed him on the bruise on his forehead, “I love you, remember that.” 

“Liam, please.” 

“I am sorry, I couldn't protect us both. I am a coward Zayn, and I can't let them hurt you.” 

“I don't care,” Zayn said solemnly, his voice dissolving in Niall's loud command.

“I love you, go. I will come for you, I love you,” Liam placed kisses all over his face as Zayn was snatched away from his hands like a broken toy, shattering his heart into a million pieces, snatching a part of him away from him.

“Liam..” was all he could say as strong, rough hands gripped him and dragged him back. He could see Liam crying, his vision blurred because of his own tears.

And Liam watched as his stable boy was stuffed into a carriage, bruised and bleeding. He knew the carriage would take him someplace safe. Niall promised it would. Niall always kept his promises.    
  
He couldn't help himself anymore, he let his knees give way as he fell to the ground as the carriage was driven away. The guards tried to get him up, but he refused. It took every ounce of Liam’s strength to keep himself from running after that carriage. Every ounce to not bang his head on the ground. Every ounce to not kill himself. As he spent that entire night, fallen on his knees, crying his heart out. Out in the cold night air. Heart numb. Dead.

Smell of Zayn all over him, taste of his blood on his lips.  
  
——-—   
  
 **five years later**  
  
He sat on the throne, that now belonged to him. Every time he closed his eyes, the same face flashed across his mind.    
  
The same face he had been yearning to see for seven years. The face he had been searching for since about seven fucking years now.    
  
But he had failed.    
  
King Payne had failed to find the love of his life that had been taken away from him. His eyes fluttered open when he heard Zaynab and Ruth call him, “Father father!”    
  
He smiled at the two girls as they came running forward, jumping onto his lap without any warning. He kissed Zaynab’s head just as the brunette started to complain about something her sister had done.    
  
The two girls were the only thing that kept Liam happy. As he spent most of his days in his stable, in the humid darkness.    
  
As he spent everyday loving Zayn, who unfortunately wasn’t anywhere near him.  
  
—-   
  
“Go to sleep Li,” the dark haired man whispered to his son, as he tucked him safely into bed.    
  
“Tell me story, daddy,” the raven haired, the four year old asked.    
  
“Which story do you want to hear love?” his father asked, pulling up a chair and sitting on it, just beside his son’s wooden bed.    
  
“The one with the prince and the stable boy,” came the soft reply.    
  
Zayn glanced at his son and smiled at those doelike eyes, _“Okay, so once upon a time there was a handsome young prince…”_  
  
The little boy listened to every word his father said just like he did every time he heard that story. It was his favorite one because it intrigued him but he couldn’t tell that. He was just four. He was a fan of the prince and the strong stable boy.    
  
He watched his father’s face as Zayn spoke the words like he had memorized them by heart. Zayn kept on twisting and turning the huge green ring on his finger as he related the story. He always did that when he was telling this particular fairytale, his father also never took off that ring. Never, Li had noticed.    
  
When Zayn reached the ending, his little boy was already asleep. So he kissed hsi forehead and whispered the ending words anyway…   
  
 _“…the stable boy. He still waits for the prince to find him, love him all over again. And for Liam, he will wait forever.”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> since the previous ending turned out to be depressing and heart breaking and suckish and also in some cases, disappointing, :(, here is the hopefully better new one. not an alternate ending, this is a continuation. 
> 
> (and paradice, this is strictly not for you, go away. -_-)

The village in which he lives happens to lie just on the outskirts of a developed town called ‘Sebastane’. Miles and miles away from the now very renowned Kingdom Of Horan. It's actually funny how Zayn only gets to hear the name of that place now, and once, it had been almost his everything.

But that is a beautiful dream that ended, and even if there's still hope in his heart, even if quite a large part of him holds onto the thought of living that dream again, Zayn sometimes gives up on Liam. Dread fills his heart, because Liam isn't coming back, his mind says. It's been five years and there is still no Liam.

But then, he remembers how he lives in a place about which Liam would not even have heard of. Niall had done a pretty excellent job. Fucking Niall. Zayn can't believe that he had actually liked him at a point, based on the various tales Lou and Harry had told him. That cruel evil bastard.

But then Liam is a bastard too because he still isn't here for Zayn. Not even when an year ago, his maniac of a big brother had been martyred in a battle. The news had spread like wildfire all over, people who didn't even know who Niall Horan had heard the brave story of the King's death. Louis had heard about it first in their village though, and had come back crying.

“I know you hate him Zayn, but he was good to me, you understand that? And I personally knew him do you even know how that feels?”

Zayn knew. He had lost his parents, he fucking knew. But he couldn't give Louis the pleasure of knowing that. So he had pointedly looked out of the window while Louis cried in Harry's neck, and thought about Liam. _How would he be? Now he had lost all his family. He'd be so lonely. Hope he is alright. Oh Liam, where are you? Are you okay? Are you alive? Please be okay, please don't be crying. I can't see you cry. You're not alone, I'm still here._ And yeah, then maybe Zayn had let a tear or two slip out his eye.

The point is; the more Zayn tries to forget Liam, the more his fingers crave to touch him, the more his mind shouts at him that Liam is going to come, the more his heart curses at him for even thinking about forgetting Liam.

And that is the entire fucking problem actually; his heart. His heart is still with Liam, it likes Liam very much and it just does not listen to Zayn.

His heart will bring Liam back to him. One day, it will.

Until then, Zayn will wait and live and wait. He has a child now anyway, since Louis and Harry couldn't see him living alone, (“if you don't find yourself someone, you are going to die and there would be no one to cry and shout out eulogies.” “you can cry and shout out the eulogies harry. i know it has been your life long dream to do that.” “zayn! i am serious.” “so you won't cry on my funeral when i die?” “no. i will do the macarena on the fucking stage.” “good. also tell the people it was my last wish.” “you are impossible.”), and kept on bugging him and setting him up with weird men, he had decided to adopt a child.

He got the idea when Louis and Harry decided to adopt. He overheard them talking in the small room of their hutlike house, and he had lain awake all night, getting up in the morning with this new want in his heart. He couldn't love any other man or woman instead of Liam, but he could love a child. A child, out there, parent-less, just like him, seeking a home, seeking love.

So he had told his friends and well, Louis had obviously thrown a huge big fit, and Harry had declared that Zayn had gone crazy. “You can't even take care of yourself, and you want a fucking child? That is not what I meant when I said you needed somebody to cry on your funeral!” But Zayn had been stubborn, and finally Louis and Harry had to give in as well. Because that way, Zayn had justified, he would have somebody with him, he won't be lonely, and they should agree because he is not going to marry anybody.

Plus, Harry also won't have to do the macarena on his funeral and that would save Louis a lot of embarrassment.

So that is how Livian came into Zayn's life. A two year old, with his bottles and diapers and round brown eyes and tiny teeth. The moment Zayn held him, and the little boy grabbed his finger, making an indiscernible sound, Zayn's life just clicked back together and he had finally gotten something to live by. Live for.

Livian is four years old now. Louis and Harry's William and Paul are seven and five respectively. And they all live under one roof - 'almost roof' - since its made of a thin plank of wood which to everybody's surprise somehow manages to stay atop even during rains and storms. Fortunately, Louis had found Zayn. He had not gone too far from the Horan castle after he had been kicked out. Thankfully, he had kept check, and when he heard about Zayn Malik not being in that castle anymore, and Liam Payne getting engaged soon afterwards, he just had to do a little detective work and soon, the name and location of Zayn was in his hands. From there, it had been easy. And now, well now they all had a life. And Zayn works in the farms with Louis, while Harry, because of only his irresistible looks (according to Louis) got a job at a bakery in town. They have managed to earn enough to send their children to a school that is situated in Sebastane. No other person in their village has been able to manage that, to Louis' utmost pride.

Basically, in simpler words, life is good, for everybody. They are happy, Zayn the least, but he is happy. (he likes to think he is.) And he wishes to god that Liam is too, and he wishes to god that Liam comes soon.

—-

Andy has never seen King Payne so furious in his life. He has been his most trusted vizier since King Horan's death, and has seen a lot of different sides to King Payne. But this is just an entirely new, shocking one.

“I just don't see how this is possible, you can't have searched the entire kingdom and still not found him!” Liam is saying. His brows screwed in anger, lines on his forehead. As he stands behind the desk in front of portraits of the late kings, in his study.

“This time we searched everywhere, sir. There is no person named Zayn Malik anywhere. We sent search teams to a lot of towns, even outside the kingdom. No luck.”

Liam punches the mahogany desk in front of him, every kind of material on that desk rattles with it, “THAT CAN NOT BE POSSIBLE! HE IS OUT THERE I KNOW! HE HAS TO BE!”

Andy winces, not knowing how to explain. Not knowing how to convey that maybe Zayn isn't alive anymore, they have been sending out troops and troops out to search for him and never have they come back with any helpful information. Everybody just says, there is no Zayn Malik they've ever heard of.

“Sir, I don't think-”

“I have to go out there and search myself,” Liam says suddenly, cutting Andy off. The look on his face shows nothing but determination, which to be honest, is frightening.

Andy swallows and tries to object, “But your majesty, you can not do that! We can be attacked. You can not leave the kingdom unattended! You have never done that before!”

“I don't care,” Liam states, voice hard, he has already grabbed a piece of parchment and is scribbling on it furiously, “You know everything, so take care of everything. We have the strongest army, I am sure they will keep everything safe. I have to find him. I have waited too long, and I have been patient. Enough. I can't do this anymore!”

“But-”

“Andy. My word is final.”

“...”

“...”

“As you wish sir, I will go get the troops ready. You shouldn't be going alone,” Andy agrees, turning to leave and make arrangements. Just as he is about to leave though, Liam says,

 

Andy smiles reluctantly, replies with a small 'yes sir' and heads towards the princess' room.

—-

It's just another busy day in Harry's life. The flow of customers have been continuous. Since its a Saturday, the people are out and about shopping for bread and butter. And Harry has been baking spice buns and biscuits since the morning like a machine.

The small shop is buzzing with people, women with their bread baskets and construction workers from the next building there for a cup of tea and a slice of bread. Nicholas comes into the hot kitchen, shouting loud orders and Harry quickly pulls his gloves on, sliding the tray out of a black, dingy oven. He assorts the biscuits onto the platters that Joseph holds out for him, and then they are out of the kitchen, moving towards the tables. And it's when he's distributing the biscuits among the customers does he hear something that makes his tired self alert, turns his bored-out-of-the-limit senses back into work.

“-and I also heard, just this morning, you know Liam James Payne, king of the biggest kingdom right now is said to have left his castle for the first time in years. He is out there with his troops, out there! Can you believe it?” a fat lady is saying, and Harry stops in his steps, it's always a little good to eavesdrop.

“Yes, but people still say that it is just a rumor, he barely gets out of there. He never leaves the premises he owns,” the fat lady's, old lady friend tries to reason.

“I don't think it is a rumor, it is what everybody at my son's school is saying. They say he is out to inspect and maybe add a number of other lands to his empire.”

“Well, I hope it's ours. We could do with an organized, honest ruler for once.”

The fat lady chuckles humorlessly, “Oh Margaret, he is not going to come as far as Sebastane, I am sure. They never do.”

The old lady friend does answer to that question but since Nicholas shouts sternly at Harry at the same moment, Harry can't make out what she says and reluctantly has to move away.

—-

“You've no idea what I heard today at the bakery,” Harry says, once Louis comes back from the children's room.

Louis crawls onto their bed, until he's safely lying in Harry's arms, “Is what you heard the reason why you were extra fidgety on the dinner table?”

“Yes, and don't sound so smug about my little accident because once you hear this, you'll not be able to sleep all night,” Harry answers, pulling at Louis' hair a little.

Louis bats his hand away playfully, “Well I do really want to hear what's worth spilling hot soup all over me.”

“One I didn't do it on purpose and two, its completely worth it, three, the soup wasn't really that hot.”

“Okay okay, proceed.”

“Liam Payne is out of his castle, and is headed towards places that aren't a part of his kingdom.”

Harry breathes in anticipation, as Louis slowly shifts to face him, “Are you- are you serious?”

“I heard a lot of people talking about it today, it was also on the radio.”

“Liam Payne, the Liam Payne? The same one?”

“How many Liam Paynes do we know?”

“Well fuck.”

“Do you think he will come here?”

“No, to be honest, actually I don't. When does anybody come here?”

“Do you think he will come to Sebastane?”

Louis thinks for a moment, “Maybe.”

“What if he does?”

“I don't know.”

They stay quiet for a moment, both lost in the same thought, probably. And then Louis questions, “Should we, should we tell-”

“No we shouldn't,” Harry cuts him off. “We have already done too much. Lets just stay out of it. Okay?”

“Okay,” Louis says, a hint of reluctance in his voice.

—-

He's covered about thirteen cities. Searched through even more towns and villages. Has been traveling non stop since the past week and hasn't had any luck in finding him.

What his men had informed him almost every day was actually true. Nobody knew a Zayn Malik. He even tried threatening people at times, got so angry that the person trembled with fair. But everything to no avail. Nobody had a clue.

He couldn't sleep in the nights when he had to settle somewhere with his troops. His men needed rest, that is what made him stay and rest too. If you call twisting and turning instead of falling asleep rest, that is. If he were alone, he probably wouldn't have even bothered.

Sometimes, he didn't even lay down. Just sneak out of the caravan. He used to take long walks, through street after street, watching people at work in their shops, trying to spot a flash of dark hair and golden brown skin. But no, he doesn't. He doesn't even find someone who is close.

He's in some town right now, one he doesn't even know the name of. It's one in the morning. He didn't leave the palace dressed as a king, he doesn't do that in the castle either. He is only wearing an old olive green tunic and brown pants that aren't as ironed and straight as they were before. His sword is back at the caravan. So he's pretty hard to be classified as a royal. He doesn't really need to hide his face, since he doubts anybody has ever seen him clearly before, but why take a chance, so he has a hood over his head that covers half it.

He is walking mindlessly, it's dark everywhere. He comes across some beggars, sleeping lying on a cement pavement. He pulls out some money from his pocket and lays it beside the sleeping forms. Making sure that in the pale moonlight he catches sight of their faces, an iron fist gripping his heart. None of the faces match whats in his mind. He sighs in relief and walks away.

In his heart he can feel like he's close, in his head he can feel like he's being called. But he pushes those feelings away instantly, and does not resist when a tear escapes his left eye. He did not think Niall would make this so hard for him. He hadn't even thought it would take this long to find Zayn. It literally feels like a dull lifetime has passed. And he hasn't seen Zayn in ages. Would he still be the same? With the same eyes, that had a lot of emotions and feelings trapped behind them. The same bitten lips that could turn upwards and light Liam's day in just a second. The same nose that Liam liked pinching, the same sound of laughter that erupted out of that mouth right after that.

The tears are streaming down his face like a waterfall now, but he doesn't wipe them away, keeps his arms folded over his chest. And he keeps walking.

—-

Livian is walking with William and Paul behind Harry when suddenly there are loud voices, and some sort of a commotion starts nearby. Harry stops in his tracks, causing the kids to stop halt in their steps too.

There are women rushing towards whatever the source of all the chaos is. Men are screaming, the workers are leaving their shops and running, even the parents taking their kids to school turn around, distracted by the growing crowd.

Harry is beyond confused. William tugs his arm, “Baba, lets go see where everybody is going?”

“No, you need to go to school, come on,” Harry says, starting to walk forward already but William protests again.

“But all my friends are also going,” he points to a group of kids running with their parents towards the crowd.

“Will-”

“Baba please?”

And Harry just sighs, because he knows he can't say a firm no to his kids, Louis is the one who does that, and says, “Okay. But we see what's going on, and we are out of here.”

Paul and Livian bump their fists in a weird manner at that, making Harry wonder how the hell do kids come up with these things?

Taking their hands in his, with William already skipping towards the crowd, Harry just goes with it. It takes time to get in the crowd, and then go more further, they aim to get towards the front but once Harry is near enough to see what's going on, he freezes.

Because right there, on top of a brown horse with a black mane, is Liam Payne.

—-

Liam scans the crowd in front of him, his heart beating fast in his chest.

There are a lot of people gathering, they had started rushing the moment they found out the King was there. It is quite overwhelming, Liam isn't used to this, he barely visits such towns or cities. But he doesn't care right now, his eyes are just roaming impatiently over the people. His heart drumming, his head throbbing, he hasn't slept in days. His men are busy shouting for everybody to stay calm, to quieten down. Finally, after about three minutes the people start to stay silent, the fidgeting stops, the children stop whispering and the only sound that can be heard is of bated breaths. Anticipation is thick in the air.

Liam clears his throat, recalls the name of this town and shouts at the top of his voice, he wants even the person standing at the very back to hear him, “Hello, people of Sebastane. Before I state the purpose of me being here, I need to make sure that each one of you can hear me. Can you, you at the very back? Do you hear me clearly?”

There is a confirmative response.

“Excellent,” Liam continues, “I am King Liam Payne. And I am in search of somebody. Now anyone of you, who comes forward to gives us the information we need should keep in mind that he or she will be presented with huge rewards. In any form they might want it; gold, money, cattle, anything. So listen carefully. Do any one of you know Zayn Malik? Can anybody tell me where I can find him? Zayn Malik. Dark hair, brown skin, Asian accent, thick voice. Z A Y N M A L I K?”

Whispers break out, Liam watches as people look here and there, expecting somebody to step forward. Nobody does. Liam keeps swallowing but the lump in his throat doesn't go away. He shouts again, and silence looms over the crowd again, “ZAYN MALIK, does anybody have a clue where he is? Does he live here? ZAYN MALIK! MALIK!”

Nobody responds, Liam's heart sinks. He's about to say thank you for the peoples' patience and turn away, when a child's small voice drifts through the air towards Liam, “Zayn Malik is baba.”

Liam's head jerks towards the small voice and he spots a child with brown hair and round brown eyes standing beside two other children, looking up at him. He looks at nothing else, his sight zeroes in on that child.

“What?” Liam asks, voice soft and expectant.

“Zayn Malik is my baba,” the child says again.

“And who are you?” Liam asks, a lot of people are now staring at the child causing him obvious discomfort. He's wringing his hands, but replies confidently.

“I am a boy. My name is Livian Malik. I study in class kindergarten. I am 4 years old. My friends are Paul and John,” there's this hint of familiar in the way he speaks.

“Where do you live?” Liam asks.

“I live in the village with my baba Zayn, and my uncle Louis and uncle Harry. And my cousins Paul and Willy.”

“William Tomlinson,” the older boy standing next to Livian snorts, an edge to his voice, “Not Willy, Li.”

Liam's mind is working in overdrive, his heart is kind of twisting and turning in his chest. Louis Tomlinson. Fuck. He knows Louis, doesn't know who Harry is but the name sounds familiar. Louis was Zayn's friend though. He can recall that. Yes.

“Livian, will you take me to your- Zayn? Will you take me to him?” Liam asks.

The child looks up at him confusedly, then turns to a figure standing right behind him. For the first time, Liam's eyes fall on a bloke with curly brown hair. He had been standing there all along?

“Uncle Harry, can we?” Livian asks the man who's apparently the Harry of the story.

Liam watches as Harry looks up at him, he's stunned to see tear tracks going down Harry's face. But he just waits for Harry's response (not that he needs it) and doesn't question it.

“Yes,” Harry finally says after what seems like an eternity, and the warmth that spreads all over Liam can't be expressed in words.

—-

“Don't we have to go to work today?” Zayn questions, as he enters the small space that they call a living room to find Louis lying flat on his back on the musty rug that covers the ground, his head on a pillow, as he stares at the ceiling, unblinking.

“No,” Louis answers simply.

“Why?”

“Because I want to rest, because I am tired,” Louis replies.

“Why are you tired, what have you even done since the morning except discouraging the children from going to school?” Zayn asks, as he sits on the rug beside Louis, throwing his legs over his stomach and leaning against the chair.

“I wasn't "discouraging" them, I was just suggesting that they stay back home and rest too.”

“You just don't like making sense do you?” Zayn asks.

“Says the one who could've sat on a chair but is instead sitting on me.”

“My legs are sitting on you, I am not.”

“See, this is exactly why when I'm left alone with you, I miss Harry so much,” Louis sighs.

“And I miss Liam,” Zayn blurts out without realizing and Louis instantly looks at him.

“What?”

It's not like Louis doesn't know that Zayn still waits for the day when Liam will come for him on a horse and take him away, but this is the first time in ages that Zayn has said it out loud. That also with desperation and veneration laced in his voice.

“Nothing.” Zayn says, finality in his tone. He doesn't really want to talk about this, it's just that the word 'miss' makes him think of Liam only.

“Zayn, you do know tha-”

“Don't Louis, don't lecture me about this. Just let it go.”

“But you should listen t-”

“I don't want to. Please.”

“Okay, whatever,” Louis snorts, “You'll regret not listening to me though.”

“Yeah, I don't see how that is possible,” Zayn says.

“You do know that I care about you, right?” Louis asks, concerned.

“Yeah, I know,” Zayn says, and he does.

“Good bec-”

But Zayn doesn't get to hear what Louis is going to say because the door suddenly bursts open and Livian comes running in, followed shortly by Paul and William.

“The prince is here,” Livian says when he reaches Zayn and Zayn just looks at him with a confused expression.

“What prince? Shouldn't you be in school?”

And then everything stops when,

“Zayn.”

Gulping, Zayn looks up from Livian's face towards the person who just said his name and _holy fuck_.

Liam's hair are cut short now, they're still that same shade of brown though. A thick, rough stubble covers his face giving him a kind of edge that wasn't in him before. His chest has broadened visibly, his clothes are dusty and his eyes are moist and his mouth is still open in shock. And underneath all the new, there is still that plain old Liam looking at Zayn like suddenly his life has new meaning.

—-

Liam cannot believe that Zayn is right in front of him. Finally, there, right there, right in front of his eyes. After so many years.

He hasn't changed much. Grown a bit taller maybe. His hair are still the same, shabby and all over his head making him look like an innocent boy. The black ink designs on his arms have increased, his legs and arms are still thin though. He was like this since the very beginning; of a thin, lean body frame. His jaw is hanging open, as he still sits where he already was, and gapes at Liam.

Liam is about to move forward or faint or he is still deciding what when Zayn finally says, “Liam.”

His voice. Liam hadn't known before how much he had missed him, how much he had yearned to hear that voice. His name in that voice, so many things in that voice. He wants to move, but he can't, emotions are weighing down on him, buzzing all through him at top speed, he is rooted to the spot.

Then Louis gets up from the ground, Louis looks almost the same too, or like Liam remembers him to be. Except that now he has a tiny beard. Zayn slowly follows too. His legs being previously thrown off Louis and hitting the floor.

“Hi, Liam,” Louis says, he doesn't add the Prince or the King or the Sir and to be very honest, Liam doesn't care.

“Hello, Louis,” Liam replies, “Nice to see you again.”

“I heard about Niall,” Louis says, there's a thickness to his voice Liam straight on fails to understand, “I am sorry for the loss.”

Liam's heart constricts, he doesn't know what to say, so he settles on a simple, “Ok.” Liam loves Niall, he had cried buckets at his demise, but that was then. Right now, he just can't care less. There's nothing but Zayn.

“Okay,” Louis says, “I guess you should go inside and talk then.”

Liam doesn't move. Nor does Zayn. He just keeps standing there staring at Liam, eyes swallowing him whole and Liam returns the gaze with his own. They are both somewhat waiting for the dream to end, but it doesn't. This time it's real.

“Zayn?” Louis asks, causing Zayn to look at him, “Take him inside. And talk.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Zayn says, coming back down to earth, “Come. Okay, yeah, come.”

He turns around and starts walking towards a door that separates the living room from the bedroom, probably. Zayn opens the dingy door, and waits. Liam musters up all his strength and makes his way towards him, walking past him, inside.

Everything is so _brown_. There's a brown bed, with light brown sheets on it. The walls beige, the ceiling light brown and the ground a little darker. There are a few paintings on the wall, also a few pencil marks here and there. Two chairs lie in the corner, with a small pedestal table. Items that Liam can't distinguish are scattered over it. There's an opening in one of the walls, that acts as a window. And a candle stand is perched on one of shelves on the wall. Unlit. The sun is high in the sky, thus providing all the light that is required through the window.

“Would you like something to eat or drink?” Zayn asks from behind him and he jerks around, not believing his ears.

Zayn is standing against the thin door, not leaning against it since Liam is sure it might not be able to support Zayn's weight. He is wringing his hands furiously, and biting his bottom lip with a fervor that reminds Liam so strongly of the first day he had seen him. In the stables, cursing and sweating.

So Liam takes the most suitable approach here, the most Zaynlike approach he can think of, “For fuck's sake Zayn, that is what you say to me after I-”

But Liam doesn't get to finish because Zayn is all over him in the blink of an eye. His lips pressed firm against Liam's, arms thrown so fearlessly around Liam's neck, as he stands on his toes and kisses Liam, so many tears staining his cheeks.

Liam holds him close, wrapping his arms around the thin frame of him. Pulling him as close as its possible at the moment. Letting him run his eager tongue all around inside of his mouth. There is a wetness to his cheeks, or maybe it's Liam's own eyes that are still unable to keep the tears inside. But they're happy tears, tears of joy, of gratefulness.

They kiss for an eternity. For a lifetime. Not having the will or the heart to pull away, just melt into each other like ice into fire. So that there is no chance of separation ever again.

“Zayn (kiss) forgive (kiss kiss) me (kiss) for not being (kiss) quicker (kiss) in finding you,” Liam says, while dropping kisses all over the compassionate, beautiful face.

Zayn makes a low whine in response, hiding his face in the crook of Liam's neck, taking slow deep breaths. Liam continues dropping kisses on his soft black hair, “Forgive me for everything, for that night, for not protecting you, for everything. I am so so sorry Zee. I couldn't keep my promises.”

Lifting his head, Zayn brings his hands to cup Liam's face, “Don't say that again. You came for me, like you promised, you came for me and you're here and that is enough. You came.”

But Liam has guilt in his heart, it doesn't go away, “But Zayn-”

“Liam do you still love me?” Zayn asks, bringing his forehead closer to Liam's.

“I always have and I always will,” Liam says, kissing the tip of his nose.

“Then that is the only thing that matters, you found me, I'm here. You are here, you have no idea how much I have missed you Liam, you have no idea how much, Jesus Christ you are really here,” Zayn repeats, and its like he's doing that to make himself believe. His hands roaming all over Liam's chest and face, making sure Liam isn't an illusion. Like he didn't just kiss the living hell out of him, a second ago. Not that Liam minds.

“Yes, I am here. And now, you're coming with me. I cannot stay one more moment without you,” Liam says. Brushing Zayn's hair back from his forehead, kissing it.

“Me neither,” Zayn says.

“Pack your stuff, you don't belong here, you belong with me,” Liam breathes, kissing his jaw now. “You always did.”

Zayn is caressing his face, running his hand over the facial hair, “Can we take Louis and Harry an-”

“We can take everything and everyone you want to take, specially Livian. I need an heir to my throne, since Niall only left behind two daughters. So yeah, I don't care.”

Zayn shows instant surprise at that, “What? Livian, the heir to- what?”

“What? You don't want to marry me? Wait, do you have a wife? Oh fuck, shit. You have a wife, where is she?” Liam begins to move away, his arms already going slack around Zayn, “With Livian and all, I should have-”

“Shut up, bloody hell Liam,” Zayn grunts in anger, “I didn't fucking marry because I love you. Imagining my life with someone who is not you is impossible for me, and you think I would have married? I never even took this fucking thing off my finger for one second!” He holds his hand up for Liam to see the emerald encrusted ring, oh.

“But- Livian?” Liam asks, his arms tightening automatically around Zayn again. Until Zayn's anger decreases down a bit and he lays his hands on Liam's chest.

“I adopted him damn it,” Zayn sighs, “Since Louis said I'd die alone and Harry said some stuff about my funeral and dancing.”

“Oh,” Liam says, feeling like an ass, “Then why would you be so horrified when I said that Livian-”

“Not horrified, just surprised.”

“Why?”

“Because the last time I saw you, you were about to get engaged to a nosy whore,” Zayn says, not hiding his annoyance and disgust at the memory.

“I gave her such a hard time, she ran away,” Liam says, smirking and Zayn looks at him like he's just said the best thing ever.

“You- what? Seriously?”

“Yes. Everyone blamed her for it, I felt sorry for a second or two but then I didn't. After what she did to me. Niall might have seen through me though, since he didn't bother to get me married again, he knew I would drive everybody away. I waited then, waited for the perfect time to bring you back. Buttered Niall, I even became what he wanted me to. But he was adamant and I could do nothing against him, I was afraid he'd do something to you,” Liam pushes Zayn's hair back again, “But when- you know. He apologized by the way, Andy told me those were his last words. Tell Liam I am sorry. I don't know exactly what he was saying sorry was, but I forgave him for everything anyway. I knew I had to find you. So I sent troops after troops but they came back with nothing, so I finally just came back myself. Something I should have done ages ago.”

“Yeah but you were always dumb, nobody is surprised,” Zayn says.

“But now dumb wants to marry you,” Liam says. “So..?”

“Alright then,” Zayn says, and pulls off the ring off his finger, he's been wearing it for such a long time that it leaves a round mark behind. When Liam objects in confusion, Zayn just looks at him sternly saying that he will take it back late, just go with it now. He then grabs Liam's left hand in his, and slips the ring onto Liam's ring finger. Liam just keeps watching trying to understand. And when he does, his face splits into the widest, most truest smile he's smiled in ages.

“So. Do I, Zayn Malik, take you to be my King husband? Yes I do, and do you, Liam Payne, take me to be your stable boy husband?”

“Yes, why not,” Liam says back, proudly.

“And now I declare us husband and-”

“Queen Zayn.”

Zayn stops short and glares at Liam, “Don't ever say that again. I swear.”

“Sounds good though, Queen Zayn and King Liam?”

“You, give me my ring back, I undeclare us husband and husband,” Zayn says, slapping Liam's hands away but he is not as strong. For Liam, he never was.

Before he can figure what's going on, he is lying flat on his back on the hard bed, with Liam all over him, trapping him, “No, that is not possible, you are mine now.” Liam smiles down at him, leaning down to press a kiss on his lips.

“ _Now?_ What do you mean by _now?_ Fuck you, I always was yours,” Zayn says.

“That is not king like language,” Liam says, breathing into Zayn's neck. Licking right below the left year.

“This is not king like behavior,” Zayn retorts, trying to push Liam off him but not really.

“Then what is?”

“I don't know. But according to fairy tales, you should carry me out, put me on a horse, preferably white, and take me home with you? Where we can live happily ever after.”

Liam does.

Louis and Harry are reluctant at first, but little persuasion (and the pleading eyes of the kids who are excited because while Liam and Zayn were inside, a very excited Livian had told them a story about a prince and his stable boy and _maybe he is the same prince_ ) is needed to make them tag along. So together, after saying goodbyes to the neighbors, they all start towards home.

—-

Surrounded by trees and a wide variety of flowers, Louis and Harry are running around the garden, laughing like children, playing a game Livian was taught back at school called 'Tag'. The children are there too, all five of them; the girls' in frocks, the boys in button up shirts and trousers.

He can hear them screaming and laughing, as he watches from the large balcony he is standing on. Liam is inside, talking to Andy about the ball they're throwing for Livian's fifth birthday. Zayn had asked him not too, but then Liam had made a face saying in his most innocent voice, “But isn't he my son as well?”

And Zayn had rolled his eyes at him and said, “Okay go on.” Because yeah, Livian was as much as Liam's as he was Zayn's. They were family, all of them. The kind of family Zayn had only dreamt of.

Zayn smiles at that, at how effortlessly everybody gets along with each other. Niall's daughters had taken to them immediately, surprisingly Liam had told them stories too, the ones Zayn had told Liv. Livian and Liam click the moment Liam holds him up. How perfect they look together, father and son. His husband, their son. It still seems like an alien thought.

“Tell me you're smiling like that because you're thinking about me,” his thoughts are interrupted by Liam's voice.

“I was, actually,” Zayn says, feeling his cheeks heat up as he turns around to face him, Liam still does that to him, yeah.

Liam grins, putting his hands on Zayn's waist and pulling him to himself, with practiced ease, “Good. Because I wanted to tell you something exciting and very important.”

“What?” Zayn asks, confused.

“I love you,” Liam murmurs. Kissing his lips before Zayn can say anything. Its not like he needs to anyway. So Zayn just smiles into the kiss, his eyes falling shut.

(and they live happily ever after)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah so its over. like or no like? (i really hope you did) :P
> 
> [tumblr.](http://ziamasf.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> don't kill me. bye.  
> leave a comment. please?
> 
> tumblr: [ziamasf](ziamasf.tumblr.com)


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